Key points from article :
Researchers from the University of Adelaide and University of Essex found that private renters age faster than homeowners.
They analysed DNA methylation data from 1,420 people, even controlling for age, sex, longstanding illness, and smoking status.
The findings suggest that the stress of private renting, such as the insecurity of tenure and rising costs, may accelerate biological ageing.
Poor housing quality and exposure to pollution may also contribute to faster biological ageing in private renters.
More research is needed to understand the exact mechanisms through which housing circumstances influence biological ageing.
This study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, provides valuable evidence that housing circumstances can have a direct impact on our health.
