Poorer children more likely to age faster than affluent counterparts, study finds

Academics at Imperial College London looked at data from 1,160 children aged between six and 11 from across Europe. Photograph: Martin Godwin/The Guardian

Children from poorer backgrounds are more likely to experience biological disadvantages such as ageing faster than their more affluent counterparts, according to a study.

Academics at Imperial College London looked at data from 1,160 children aged between six and 11 from across Europe, for the study published in the Lancet. The children were scored using an international scale of family affluence, which is based on a number of factors including whether a child had their own room and the number of vehicles per household.