Poverty, it turns out, is etched into our DNA.
That’s not a metaphorical statement. Growing up poor leaves a permanent mark on our permanent genetic code, according to new research.
Socioeconomic status during childhood correlates with shorter sections of DNA, known as telomeres, later in life, explains a study published in the November issue of the journal Brain, Behavior, and Immunity.
In the study, participants were asked to take a dose of a cold virus. Those who indicated a lower socioeconomic status as a child were more likely to be infected by the virus and show symptoms. “For each decrease of one year in parental home ownership, the participants’ odds of developing a cold increased by approximately 9 percent,” the study concluded.
Read the full, original story here: Poverty Is Stamped Into DNA in Childhood—And Stays There
Additional resources:
- “Poverty leaves its mark on DNA, researchers find,” CBC News
- “Poverty Can Trump a Winning Hand of Genes,” Wall Street Journal