Strict parents wish well but they may be cutting their children’s lives short. A recent study shows that harsh parenting is linked to biomarkers showing lower life expectancy in kids.

Strict parenting linked to shorter children’s life expectancy

Telomeres are defensive caps on the DNA strands that may be associated with plastic tips on shoelaces.

A latest Loma Linda University Health research reported that keeping kids on their toes relentlessly may create a number of negative effects on their health. It continues affecting them well into their adulthood. The authors identified that strict parenting is closely connected with early aging in line with higher health risks.

Telomeres of individuals who thought their parents’ childcare method was “cold” appeared 25% smaller in comparison to participants who defined having a parent with “warm” childcare.

The study established that childhood anxiety is connected to shorter telomeres, an assessable biomarker of speedy aging of cells and the threat of poor health later on in life.

Raymond Knutsen, MPH, a lecturer at Loma Linda University Public Health School and the senior researcher of the study, stated that telomeres are looked at as a genetic clock.

Knutsen pointed out that as childhood anxiety grows, telomeres shrink. At the same time the propensity for health risks and illnesses grows. This happens because every time a cell divides the telomeres get shorter, which in turn shortens the person’s life expectancy.

Adventists as research subjects

Amusingly, modifications in genes that maintain telomeres lead to a number of uncommon illnesses similar to early aging. Knutsen added that several cells in the body generate an enzyme named telomerase which is able to rebuild telomeres.

The new retrospective research on strict parenting applies statistics collected from 200 respondents of 2 potential Seventh-day Adventist Church believers’ group investigations of both genders.

• Group 1 (AHS-1) – nearly 34,000 individuals from California in 1976.
• Group 2 (AHS-2) – practically 96,000 residents of US and Canada in the period 2002-2007.

The study established that childhood anxiety is connected to shorter telomeres, an assessable biomarker of speedy aging of cells and the threat of poor health later on in life.

The bond between literacy, early aging, and BMI

The survey examines the influence of childcare approach on telomere sequence.

Knutsen suggests that the manner in which the child is raised makes an impact on the genes.

Moreover, the investigators measured the influence of literacy in addition to a person’s body mass index (BMI) on the bond between harsh parenting and the length of telomeres.

People with lower levels of education showed higher propensity to be affected by cold parenting styles. The same was applicable to the subjects who put on weight between the interviews or remained obese.

At the same time, participants with college degrees and normal height to weight ratios seemed to be less affected in terms of genetic aging.

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