New research suggests that people under 50 may be aging faster biologically than previous generations, offering a possible clue into the rise of early-onset cancer.
The study, published in Nature Medicine on June 20, found that people born more recently showed signs of higher biological age, meaning greater wear and tear inside the body at a cellular and molecular level.
Researchers found that people born between 1965 and 1974 showed higher biological age than those born between 1950 and 1954, while those born between 1990 and 1999 showed higher biological aging than people born between 1965 and 1969. Scientists said the findings may help explain why cancer diagnoses are rising among adults under 50, though they do not prove that accelerated aging directly causes cancer.
Experts say lifestyle, environment, diet, obesity, alcohol, smoking, and exposure to pollutants may all play a role, but the reasons behind the trend remain unclear. More research is needed to understand whether biological aging is driving early-onset cancer, or whether both are linked to other shared factors.
Cancer cases among younger adults have been rising for decades, leaving doctors searching for answers. Click through and find out what scientists know so far about early-onset cancer, and whether you or a loved one may be at risk.