This is evident from a new study published in the journal Health psychologyResearchers found that aggressive behavior as a teenager is linked to faster biological aging in middle age.
Lead researcher Joseph Allem, professor of psychology, said in a new publication: “Adolescents are often mocked for treating their relationships as matters of life and death.”
Researchers theorized that the stress of ongoing conflict that extends into adulthood likely contributes to this accelerated aging, which can increase a person’s lifelong risk of health problems such as heart disease or diabetes.
The team followed the students from age 13 into adulthood, collecting reports of aggression, family conflict and relationship problems with friends and peers.
The team used two validated methods that combined factors such as blood pressure, inflammation, blood sugar levels, cholesterol and immune function to estimate how old each person’s body was compared to their actual age. Both methods showed that higher levels of aggression in early adolescence predicted higher biological age at age 30, even after taking into account gender, family income, serious childhood illnesses, and adolescent body shape.
According to researchers, boys are more likely to experience conflict with their fathers, while teens from lower-income families are more likely to speak out against their peers.
The recent research does not prove that aggression in teenagers directly leads to faster aging. In this regard, Allen said, “Other factors we didn’t measure may also be at play, and it’s likely that what really matters is how those early behaviors turn into later relationship problems.”
Nevertheless, the study underlines the potential lasting health consequences that arise from social challenges in early adolescence.
