Becoming a homeowner isn’t always easy, especially in today’s housing market with its tight mortgage terms and soaring interest rates. But, beyond the financial strain, it turns out that the choice of housing could also impact how quickly a person ages.
The Aging Impact of Renting
Recent research from the University of Essex in the United Kingdom and the University of Adelaide in Australia reveals that renting a home, particularly in the private sector, may be linked to faster biological aging, and stress plays a significant role.
Key Findings
- Renting a home in the private sector is associated with more rapid biological aging.
- This aging effect is even more pronounced than factors like unemployment or former smoking, and it’s largely attributed to the stress of uncertain housing conditions.
- Late rental payments and exposure to pollution can also accelerate biological aging, which is essentially the result of “lifetime-cumulative stress.”
Housing Policy Matters
The study’s authors emphasize that housing policy plays a crucial role in our health and well-being, stating, “What it means to be a private renter is not set in stone but dependent on policy decisions, which to date have prioritized owners and investors over renters.”
Policy Solutions
- Ending evictions (i.e. being forced to move out), limiting rent increases, and improving conditions can reduce the negative impacts of private renting.
- Greater support with housing costs and restrictions on increasing housing costs may protect people from housing arrears and its health consequences.
- DNA methylation (a measurable indicator of biological aging) is reversible, suggesting that improving or changing housing conditions can correct accelerated aging, mitigating or reversing health effects.
Global Implications
While this research focuses on the UK, its implications extend beyond borders. Housing policies and their effects on biological aging could apply to other countries as well.
Key Takeaways
- Renting a home, especially in the private sector, is associated with accelerated biological aging potentially due to lifetime-cumulative stress.
- Housing policies can significantly impact our health and well-being.
- Policy changes can mitigate the negative effects of renting and may lead to a healthier and longer life.
In summary, the choice of home ownership might not just affect your immediate living situation; it could influence the pace at which you age, with stress as a significant factor, and policy changes could be the key to a healthier and longer life. Perhaps paying rent on time, or even earlier, can also be a beneficial habit, allowing one to enjoy peace of mind for the rest of the month.
Link to the news article: https://www.freemalaysiatoday.com/category/leisure/2023/10/17/renting-rather-than-owning-a-home-linked-with-biological-ageing/
Link to the research paper: https://jech.bmj.com/content/early/2023/08/17/jech-2023-220523
Reference: Clair A, Baker E, Kumari M. Are housing circumstances associated with faster epigenetic ageing? [published online ahead of print, 2023 Oct 10]. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2023;jech-2023-220523. doi:10.1136/jech-2023-220523
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