"According to a new study, being socially engaged can have a profound impact on epigenetic ageing. What does that mean? It can slow changes at the cellular level that are reliable predictors of infirmity, disease and early death. Are you suggesting that being socially engaged will make me live longer? That's about the size of it, yes. How would that even work? The hypothesis suggests that high levels of social interaction reduce your stress response, and the long-term biological consequences systemic inflammation, cellular ageing associated with it."
"What do I have to do? Hand out leaflets, pick up litter or what? It's hard to say exactly what type of engagement is the most effective. The study ranked participants' responses to statements such as: I enjoy personal and mutual conversations with family members and friends. So I just need to lie on the questionnaire. I don't think it works like that."
"Listen: I want to live a long time without having to deal with any annoying people. Is that too much to ask? It probably is, yeah. Is there nothing else I can do? The study showed that higher education and income levels were also associated with slower epigenetic age"
Cumulative social advantage links social relationships to lifespan and health. Family ties, emotional support, religious participation and community engagement serve as key forms of social connection. Research finds higher social engagement correlates with slower epigenetic ageing, reflecting cellular changes that predict infirmity, disease and premature death. The proposed mechanism involves reduced stress responses that lower systemic inflammation and slow cellular ageing. Measurement relied on self-reports about enjoyment of conversations and mutual interactions. The most effective types of engagement remain unclear, and higher education and income also correlate with slower epigenetic age.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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