Negative Wealth Shock and Epigenetic Aging in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

Negative wealth shocks can pose a serious threat to health; however, there has been no research exploring the potential link between negative wealth shocks and epigenetic aging. This study aimed to explore the relationship between negative wealth shocks and epigenetic aging in middle-aged and older adults.

This study conducted an analysis using data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). The analytical sample was reduced by excluding 36 participants who lacked BMI or tobacco data, resulting in a final sample size of 3,982 individuals. A negative wealth shock is characterized by a decline of 75% or more in total wealth between two consecutive waves, representing a significant decline in wealth. Various epigenetic clocks - including Horvath, Hannum, PhenoAge, GrimAge, DunedinPoAm, epiTOC, Zhang, and Skin&Blood - were employed to assess biological age by analyzing DNA methylation patterns. OLS linear regression was used to evaluate the relationship between wealth status and the epigenetic clocks.

Among the participants, 6.98% experienced a negative wealth shock, 6.93% were classified as baseline asset poor, and 86.09% belonged to the positive wealth group. No significant relationship was found between negative wealth shock and the first-generation epigenetic clocks. However, a correlation was observed between negative wealth shock and accelerated epigenetic aging when assessed using the second-generation clocks (epiTOC, Zhang, GrimAge) and the third-generation clock (DunedinPoAm), with the exception of PhenoAge. After adjusting for demographic factors and socioeconomic factors, the significant association between negative wealth shock and accelerated aging in DunedinPoAm, Zhang, and GrimAge persisted. Effects are net of chronological age (model 1), largely attenuated when accounting for SES (model 2), and no longer statistically significant net of lifestyle factors (model 3).

Our study identifies a significant relationship between negative wealth shocks and biological aging in middle-aged and older adults. This suggests that socioeconomic factors, particularly sudden economic losses and fluctuations, should be considered in strategies for promoting healthy longevity and aging interventions. Additionally, there is a need for unemployment protection policies or measures to help stabilize medical and food consumption for households or individuals during times of economic instability, addressing the negative impacts of wealth shocks on accelerated aging.