Work

The Early Origins of Biological Aging: Maternal Income, Education, and DNA Methylation Patterns at Ages 9–15

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Maternal income at birth predicts children's epigenetic aging more strongly than later income. Children of college-educated mothers show lower epigenetic age acceleration at ages 9 and 15. Socioeconomic gaps differ by epigenetic clock: PhenoAge attenuates, Dunedin-PACE holds, and GrimAge grows by 15. Girls with faster epigenetic aging at age 9 experience menarche earlier. Higher GrimAge at age 9 predicts slower height growth between 9 and 15.

Source: Demography

DOI: 10.1215/00703370-12908491

Author: Beza Taddess

Institution: Princeton University

Language: English

Topic: Epigenetics and DNA Methylation

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Reduced inequalities

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,750