Neighborhood poverty duration and timing linked to epigenetic biological age in a 25-year US cohort
In 3,637 US participants followed 25 years, more life stages of neighborhood poverty and exposure in mid-adulthood were associated with accelerated biological aging on three epigenetic clocks; this is an association, not proof of cause. [1]
Automatic summary · not editorially reviewed
The key findings
The analysis included 3,637 participants followed for 25 years in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. [1]
Only 8% experienced neighborhood poverty across all life stages: 26% of non-Hispanic Black versus 4% of non-Hispanic White participants. [1]
Each additional life stage of neighborhood poverty exposure was associated with significant biological age acceleration on the epigenetic clocks. [1]
The source at a glance
- Study type / format
- Observational longitudinal cohort study (abstract).
- Population / context
- 3,637 participants in the US National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, followed for 25 years from adolescence to early midlife.
- Summary based on
- Study abstract
- Original publication
- October 1, 2026
Neighborhood poverty across life stages in 3,637 US participants
The study used data from 3,637 participants in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, followed for 25 years. It examined several dimensions of neighborhood poverty: how long it lasted, the life stage of first exposure, exposure trajectories across life stages, and severity. The authors note that earlier research relied on samples with limited racial and gender diversity. In the total sample, only 8% experienced neighborhood poverty across all life stages, and this differed starkly by race: 26% of non-Hispanic Black participants versus 4% of non-Hispanic White participants.
Supporting source [1]
More exposed life stages, faster biological aging on three clocks
Biological aging was measured with three epigenetic clocks: GrimAge2, PhenoAge and DunedinPACE. These clocks estimate biological age from DNA methylation patterns. Associations were estimated with survey linear regression models. Each additional life stage of exposure to neighborhood poverty was associated with significant acceleration of biological age. Exposure in mid-adulthood was consistently associated with accelerated biological aging. The authors describe this as a possible lasting effect of residential context at the cellular level, but the design cannot show that neighborhood poverty caused the differences.
Supporting source [1]
Abstract-only scope of the 25-year cohort analysis
This explainer is based only on the abstract; the full text was not reviewed. The abstract reports the cohort, the 25-year follow-up, the three clocks and the regression models, but gives no effect sizes, confidence intervals or adjustment details. It does not report whether factors such as individual income or education were accounted for. The findings are associations from an observational cohort, so they do not establish that neighborhood poverty causes biological aging.
Supporting source [1]
How to interpret this
Abstract only; the full text was not reviewed. No effect sizes, confidence intervals or adjustment details are reported, and the observational design cannot establish causation.
Based on the study abstract; the full paper, tables and supplementary data were not reviewed.
Source & supporting passages
D'Alessio AS, Harris KM, Aiello AE, Levitt B, Tuder S, Gaydosh L, Martin CL. · europepmc.org · October 1, 2026