A recent article published by The Guardian references a study conducted by Add Health Deputy Director, Dr. Allison Aiello, and fellow researchers exploring the impacts of experiencing bereavement early in life and its effects on accelerated biological aging.
This study analyzed data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, focusing on those who experienced the loss of a close family member before age 18 and between 19 to 43 years old. They found that nearly 40% of the 3,963 participants had experienced a significant loss, and these individuals exhibited biological markers of faster aging.
The study assessed biological aging by analyzing DNA for epigenetic changes, revealing that those who had suffered bereavement had older biological ages compared to their chronological age. This accelerated aging process may increase the risk of future health issues, including cognitive impairment, heart problems, and earlier mortality. The researchers suggest that providing effective counseling and social support could potentially reduce these aging effects, offering insights for public health approaches to support bereaved individuals. The study’s findings were published in JAMA Network Open and are part of ongoing research into the long-term health impacts of grief.