Overview
- Each additional hassler was associated with a 1.5% faster aging pace, equivalent to roughly 9–10 months of extra biological age on one measure.
- The analysis drew on saliva DNA methylation from 2,345 Indiana adults in the Person-to-Person Health Interview Study.
- Nearly 30% of participants reported at least one hassler, with higher odds among women, daily smokers, people in poorer health, and those with adverse childhood experiences.
- Difficult family members showed the strongest links to accelerated aging, whereas troublesome spouses did not show the same pattern.
- Negative ties also correlated with higher inflammation, more depression and anxiety, and higher BMI; the authors emphasize the findings are observational and plan longitudinal and epigenome-wide studies to probe causality and mechanisms.