By Bronwyn Thompson – New Atlas –
Friendships, community ties and family bonds may apply the brakes to natural cell aging, providing a simple way to invest in health in older age. In a massive new study, scientists have found that social connections are tied to slower biological aging and less chronic inflammation.
In an ambitious analysis of 2,117 adults in the Midlife in the United States (MIDUS) study, Cornell University researchers have found that lifelong investment in social bonds and connection – “cumulative social advantage” – is key to staying healthier longer.
“This paper builds on a foundational study we published last year showing how cumulative social advantage relates to positive health outcomes,” said first author Anthony Ong, psychology professor in the College of Human Ecology at Cornell University. “This new study digs deeper into the same data to understand the biological mechanisms – essentially, how social connections get under our skin to affect aging at the molecular level.”
