Material Hardship and Telomere Length in Children

Overview

Journal Child Dev

Specialty Pediatrics

Date 2024 Jun 29

PMID 38943658

Authors

Camille Moeckel

Lauren Gaydosh

Lisa Schneper

Colter Mitchell

Daniel A Notterman

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Telomere length (TL) serves as a biomarker of exposure to stressors, including material hardship. Data from the Future of Families and Child Wellbeing Study (1998-2015) were utilized to determine whether prior material hardship was associated with shorter salivary TL at years 9 and 15. 49% of the year 9 study population were female, 49% were Black, and 25% were Hispanic. At year 9 (N = 1990), regression analyses found a significant association between prior material hardship and shorter TL (β = -.005, p < .01). Additionally, at year 15 (N = 1874), material hardship experienced during infancy and toddlerhood was associated with shorter TL (β = -.009, p < .01), pointing toward infancy and toddlerhood as a sensitive period.

Citing Articles

Material hardship and telomere length in children.

Moeckel C, Gaydosh L, Schneper L, Mitchell C, Notterman D Child Dev. 2024; 95(6):2232-2240.

PMID: 38943658 PMC: 11579632. DOI: 10.1111/cdev.14126.

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