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Evidence of accelerated aging among African Americans and its implications for mortality

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  • Levine, M.E.
  • Crimmins, E.M.

Abstract

Blacks experience morbidity and mortality earlier in the life course compared to whites. Such premature declines in health may be indicative of an acceleration of the aging process. The current study uses data on 7644 black and white participants, ages 30 and above, from the third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, to compare the biological ages of blacks and whites as indicated from a combination of ten biomarkers and to determine if such differences in biological age relative to chronological age account for racial disparities in mortality. At a specified chronological age, blacks are approximately 3 years older biologically than whites. Differences in biological age between blacks and whites appear to increase up until ages 60–65 and then decline, presumably due to mortality selection. Finally, differences in biological age were found to completely account for higher levels of all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality among blacks. Overall, these results suggest that being black is associated with significantly higher biological age at a given chronological age and that this is a pathway to early death both overall and from the major age-related diseases.

Suggested Citation

  • Levine, M.E. & Crimmins, E.M., 2014. "Evidence of accelerated aging among African Americans and its implications for mortality," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 27-32.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:118:y:2014:i:c:p:27-32
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2014.07.022
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Crimmins, E.M. & Kim, J.K. & Alley, D.E. & Karlamangla, A. & Seeman, T., 2007. "Hispanic paradox in biological risk profiles," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 97(7), pages 1305-1310.
    2. Jackson, J.S. & Knight, K.M. & Rafferty, J.A., 2010. "Race and unhealthy behaviors: Chronic stress, the HPA Axis, and physical and mental health disparities over the life course," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 100(5), pages 933-939.
    3. Geronimus, A.T. & Hicken, M. & Keene, D. & Bound, J., 2006. ""Weathering" and age patterns of allostatic load scores among blacks and whites in the United States," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 96(5), pages 826-833.
    4. Nan Johnson, 2000. "The racial crossover in comorbidity, disability, and mortality," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 37(3), pages 267-283, August.
    5. Franks, Peter & Muennig, Peter & Lubetkin, Erica & Jia, Haomiao, 2006. "The burden of disease associated with being African-American in the United States and the contribution of socio-economic status," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 62(10), pages 2469-2478, May.
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    Cited by:

    1. Morgan E. Levine & Eileen M. Crimmins, 2018. "Is 60 the New 50? Examining Changes in Biological Age Over the Past Two Decades," Demography, Springer;Population Association of America (PAA), vol. 55(2), pages 387-402, April.
    2. Samuel Fishman, 2020. "An extended evaluation of the weathering hypothesis for birthweight," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 43(31), pages 929-968.
    3. Martz, Connor D. & Benner, Aprile D. & Goosby, Bridget J. & Mitchell, Colter & Gaydosh, Lauren, 2024. "Structural racism in primary schools and changes in epigenetic age acceleration among Black and White youth," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 347(C).
    4. Jeffrey T. Howard & P. Johnelle Sparks, 2016. "The Effects of Allostatic Load on Racial/Ethnic Mortality Differences in the United States," Population Research and Policy Review, Springer;Southern Demographic Association (SDA), vol. 35(4), pages 421-443, August.
    5. Mei Ling Ong & Eric T. Klopack & Sierra Carter & Ronald L. Simons & Steven R. H. Beach, 2022. "School Disengagement Predicts Accelerated Aging among Black American Youth: Mediation by Psychological Maladjustment and Moderation by Supportive Parenting," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(19), pages 1-14, September.

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