Tamara Thomas

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People who lost a loved one—parent, partner, sibling, or child—may experience accelerated biological aging compared to those who hadn’t experienced such loss, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open.
Previous studies have linked the loss of a loved one to a decline in health, especially at certain stages of life. Repeated family losses further compound this risk. However, scientists have not fully understood the link between familial loss of a loved one and long-term health decline.
For this study, Dr. Allison Aiello, a health longevity professor at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, and colleagues evaluated the association between losing a parent, sibling, child, partner, or spouse with accelerated biological aging.
Biological aging is defined as the gradual decline in the function of cells, tissues, and organs.
Dr. Aiello and her team used data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. They analyzed blood samples from approximately 4500 participants who were followed from adolescence to adulthood.
Of the participants, about 50.3% were male, and a majority of the participants were White (72.53%). About 40% of the participants experienced at least one loss between ages 33 and 43. The researchers observed that Black, Hispanic, and American Indians experienced greater losses compared to White participants.
The study revealed that those who experienced 2 or more losses tended to have older biological ages than those with no losses.
The researchers also noticed that the timing of loss impacts biological aging. According to their findings, participants who experienced losses during childhood or adolescence experienced similar biological aging to those who experienced no losses during childhood.
In contrast, participants who experienced any loss during adulthood exhibited older biological ages compared to peers with no loss.
“The connection between losing loved ones and health problems throughout life is well-established,” Dr. Aiello noted in a university news release. “But some stages of life might be more vulnerable to the health risks associated with loss, and the accumulation of loss appears to be a significant factor.”
Source: <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/health-news/articles/2024-07-29/grief-can-truly-age-people-study-finds">USNews</a>
Journal: <a href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2821615">JAMA Network</a>
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