Early tobacco smoke exposure may speed up aging process: Researchers

*Experts explain secondhand smoke exposure right from a young age could impact long-term cell function, increase inflammation throughout the body, and affect several other body processes in consumers

Emmanuel Akosile | ConsumerConnect

Researchers from the Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal) in a recent study explored the long-term health risks associated with early exposure to tobacco smoke.

Their study findings noted the secondhand smoke exposure during childhood or while in utero may speed up consumers’ biological aging process, ConsumerAffairs report stated.

Researcher Mariona Bustamante said: “The epigenetic clock allows us to assess whether someone’s biological age is older or younger than his or her chronological age.

“The positive association between epigenetic age acceleration and exposure to tobacco smoke during pregnancy and early childhood go in line with previous results obtained in the adult population.”

Regarding how smoke affects aging for the study, the researchers assessed the epigenetic age of more than 1,100 children involved in the Human Early Life Exposome (HELIX) project.

The researchers also examined closely at those who were exposed to tobacco smoke in the womb and during childhood, and then they compared the results to those with no such exposure.

The experts discovered that tobacco smoke exposure at these two important developmental junctures in life was associated with more rapid biological aging.

It is noted though the participants were not older than 11 during the study, the team still found that their bodies were aging at a faster rate.

The findings are concerning because a faster aging process at this age can have consequences for health in later life, report said.

They further explained that smoke exposure from such a young age could impact long-term cell function, increase inflammation throughout the body, and affect several other body processes.

The researcher wrote: “As aging is considered a public health issue worldwide, new evidence in childhood populations might drive new policies to reduce environmental exposures and promote a ‘healthy aging’ from early stages of life.”