Children of Lower Socioeconomic Status Grow Up More Susceptible To Catching Colds, Carnegie Mellon Researchers Find (IMAGE)

Carnegie Mellon University

Children of Lower Socioeconomic Status Grow Up More Susceptible To Catching Colds, Carnegie Mellon Researchers Find

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Researchers at Carnegie Mellon University have found an association between lower socioeconomic status during childhood and adolescence and the length of telomeres, protective cap-like protein complexes at the end of chromosomes, that ultimately affects the susceptibility to colds in middle-aged adults. Published in Brain, Behavior and Immunity, the study showed that children and teens with parents of lower socioeconomic status have shorter telomeres as adults. Telomere length is a biomarker of aging with telomeres shortening with age.

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Carnegie Mellon University

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