Father’s Teenage Smoking May Speed Up Child’s Biological Aging
An individual may age biologically “faster” than their chronological age if their father began smoking during puberty, according to a new and compelling study. The research suggests that smoking in boys aged 15 or younger could cause epigenetic damage to developing sperm cells, with these effects then being passed on to their future children, influencing their rate of biological aging.
The study, presented to the European Respiratory Society Congress in Amsterdam, examined blood samples from 892 people across various European countries and Australia, ranging in age from seven to 50. Researchers assessed markers of aging in the participants’ DNA, a concept often referred to as an “epigenetic clock,” which can indicate a person’s biological age as opposed to their actual age in years. Participants were also questioned about their own and their parents’ smoking habits, including the age at which they started.
The findings were striking: people whose fathers began smoking during puberty (at 15 or younger) were, on average, biologically nine months to a year older than their chronological age. The authors reported that these differences were even “more pronounced” if the individual had ever smoked themselves. In contrast, only a small increase in biological age was found in those whose fathers started smoking later in life, and no clear pattern was observed in people whose mothers smoked before pregnancy.
Dr. Juan Pablo Lopez-Cervantes from the University of Bergen, Norway, who presented the study, stated, “Our research group has previously shown that smoking during puberty may harm not only the person who smokes, but also their future children. In this new study, we wanted to explore whether parental smoking in puberty may also influence the biological ageing of their future children.”
He emphasized the significance of this, noting, “Accelerated biological ageing is important as it has been linked to a higher risk of diseases such as cancer, arthritis and dementia in previous research.” While the research does not yet fully explain the mechanism, the leading hypothesis is that smoking during the critical period of puberty may alter the epigenetic material within sperm cells, and these changes are then inherited by the next generation.
“Our results suggest that boys who smoke during puberty may be unknowingly creating harm for the children they go on to have,” Dr. Lopez-Cervantes added. “Although this research is still in its early days, we believe our findings are important for young boys who smoke or consume other types of nicotine products.”
The study has been met with calls for stronger public health action. Sarah Sleet, chief executive of Asthma and Lung UK, said, “This research highlights why we must do everything we can to keep children away from smoking and help them stop if they have started.” She stressed the need for adequate funding for smoking cessation services and suggested a “polluter pays” levy on the tobacco industry.
Dr. Stamatoula Tsikrika, chairwoman of the European Respiratory Society’s expert group on tobacco, reinforced the message, stating, “What we’re starting to learn is that the damage caused by smoking can persist across generations.” She also drew a parallel to modern nicotine products, noting, “Although rates of smoking in teenagers seem to be declining, rates of vaping are generally increasing, and we don’t yet know the long-term impact of vaping on children and teenagers. This research is another reminder that we need to protect children and teenagers from nicotine addiction, smoking and vaping.”
The findings underscore the urgent need for robust public health policies and educational efforts to prevent tobacco and nicotine use in adolescence, not only for the immediate health of the individual but for the potential long-term health of future generations as well.
- Research details: People may age faster if their dad smoked during puberty
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