London - The daily grind of work may feel like it is harming your health – but in fact it could be keeping you young.
A study has shown that being unemployed could trigger premature ageing in men. It is thought that the financial and emotional stress of being out of work damages the body’s DNA.
The scientists made the link by studying blood samples and unemployment records of more than 5 500 men and women aged 31.
They used the blood to test for damage to tiny structures called telomeres, which are found at the ends of chromosomes and protect the DNA.
As we age, our telomeres get shorter leading to DNA becoming damaged and raising the odds of age-related illnesses.
Shorter-than-average telomeres are seen as an indicator of ill health and premature death.
The study found that men who had been out of work for at least two of the three years before the tests were more than twice as likely to have short telomeres as those who had been in continuous employment.
The link held even when other factors associated with ageing, including illness and lifestyle, were taken into account.
Jessica Buxton, of Imperial College London, said this suggested the financial and emotional stress associated with being out of work was to blame.
The team did not find a link between unemployment and premature ageing in women, but said this may be because not enough jobless females were studied. – Daily Mail