To test the hypothesis that early- life adversity accelerates the pace of biological aging,we analyzed data from the Dutch Hunger Winter Families Study (DHWFS, N = 951).DHWFS is a natural-experiment birth-cohort study of survivors of in-utero exposureto famine conditions caused by the German occupation of the Western Netherlands inWinter 1944 to 1945, matched controls, and their siblings. We conducted DNA meth-ylation analysis of blood samples collected when the survivors were aged 58 to quantifybiological aging using the DunedinPACE, GrimAge, and PhenoAge epigenetic clocks.Famine survivors had faster DunedinPACE, as compared with controls. This effectwas strongest among women. Results were similar for GrimAge, although effect-sizeswere smaller. We observed no differences in PhenoAge between survivors and controls.Famine effects were not accounted for by blood-cell composition and were similar forindividuals exposed early and later in gestation. Findings suggest in-utero undernutritionmay accelerate biological aging in later life.
Accelerated biological aging six decades after prenatal famine exposure
