ACCELERATED MOLECULAR AGING IN NEIGHBORHOOD POVERTY - A RACIAL/ETHNIC COMPARISON

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by dawugda

Racial and ethnic health disparities in the US are linked in part to residence in low socioeconomic status neighborhoods, potentially through molecular mechanisms detectable in the epigenome. The study tested whether greater neighborhood poverty relates to accelerated epigenetic aging across multiple epigenetic clocks and whether effects differ by race or ethnicity. Using 3,790 older participants from the Health and Retirement Study (2016 wave) and census tract poverty rates (2012–2016), results showed poverty associated with accelerated PhenoAge and GrimAge, with GrimAge persisting after smoking adjustment. Interactions indicated stronger effects for non-Hispanic White participants, but smoking eliminated this difference, underscoring investment and further research needs.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages1

Reading Time3 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Study hypothesis and rationale

Data sources and analytic approach

Main findings and robustness to smoking

Race/ethnicity interaction results

Implications for interventions and future research

1022 Innovation in Aging, 2025, Vol. 9, No. S2 Abstract citation ID: igaf122.3445 ACCELERATED MOLECULAR AGING IN NEIGHBORHOOD POVERTY: A RACIAL/ETHNIC COMPARISON Jennifer Robinette1, and Jennifer Smith2, 1. Chapman University, Orange, California, United States, 2. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States In the US, racial/ethnic health disparities are undeniable and partially stem from residing in low SES neighborhoods. Associations between neighborhood SES and health may have some underlying molecular mechanisms reflected in the epigenome. Yet, neighborhood characteristics are not always experienced the same way for all residents, and questions remain regarding whether those most exposed to low SES neighborhoods build greater resilience to, or embody greater harmful and cumulative outcomes from, such neighborhoods. The present study tested the hypothesis that greater neighborhood poverty would relate to accelerated epigenetic aging on the Horvath, Hannum, PhenoAge, and GrimAge clocks, and that these associations would differ in strength by race/ethnicity. A national sample of 3,790 older non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic participants from the 2016 wave of the Health and Retirement Study and census tract poverty rates from the 2012-2016 American Community Survey were used to test these questions. Results of weighted linear regressions suggested that living in higher poverty neighborhoods was associated with accelerated PhenoAge and GrimAge (not Hannum or Horvath), adjusting for age, sex, and educational. After further considering smoking status, however, only the association with GrimAge remained. Investigating interactions with race/ethnicity suggested that poverty was more strongly associated with accelerated GrimAge among non-Hispanic White participants, but this racial/ ethnic difference was completely reduced after considering smoking. These results further support the need for economic investment in low SES neighborhoods and encourage more research to determine the social and physical resources needed in such neighborhoods to attenuate accelerated epigenetic aging.

FAQs

What hypothesis does the study test about neighborhood poverty and aging?

It tests whether higher neighborhood poverty is associated with accelerated epigenetic aging and whether these associations differ by race or ethnicity.

Which epigenetic clocks showed an association with poverty?

Living in higher poverty neighborhoods was associated with accelerated PhenoAge and GrimAge, but not Hannum or Horvath in the initial weighted regression results.

How did considering smoking affect the results and any racial/ethnic differences?

After adjusting for smoking status, only the association with GrimAge remained. The racial/ethnic difference in poverty’s association with GrimAge was completely reduced after considering smoking.

Sep 29, 2026

Upload by dawugda