Does poverty show up on biological aging clocks?

In 48,348 NHANES adults, higher poverty tracked faster PhenoAge and KDM aging (B=1.38 and 0.96 extreme contrast), especially in midlife.

Source

Living in poverty and accelerated biological aging: evidence from population-representative sample of U.S. adults

Dalecka A, Bartoskova Polcrova A, Pikhart H, et al. · BMC public health · 2024

Study at a glance

Design: Cross-sectional — NHANES IV weighted analyses of poverty vs PhenoAge/KDM biological age acceleration
N: N=48348 · U.S. adults 20–84 years across 10 survey waves
Population: Nationally representative U.S. adults (NHANES 1999–2018)
Outcome: PhenoAge and KDM biological age acceleration by poverty category

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What they did

Estimated biological age from 11 biomarkers, indexed acceleration (PAA, KDM-A), and regressed on poverty ratio categories with survey weights.

Higher poverty associated with accelerated aging beyond covariates; age associations were U-shaped and poverty effects strongest in middle age.

The limits

Cross-sectional associations cannot prove poverty causes clock acceleration or quantify treatment effects of income interventions.

Key terms

Biological age acceleration: Biological age exceeding chronological age.
PhenoAge acceleration (PAA): Phenotypic aging clock residual used as outcome.
Klemera-Doubal method (KDM): Biomarker composite biological age approach.
NHANES: U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
Income-to-poverty ratio: Family income relative to Census poverty thresholds.
Survey weights: Make estimates representative of U.S. adults.

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Sample size:

Common questions

Sample n?

48,348 adults.

Biomarkers used?

11 biomarkers.

PAA extreme poverty contrast B?

1.38 (p<.001).

Where is poverty effect strongest?

Middle-aged groups.