A longitudinal Finnish twin study of 847 people linked childhood and adolescent lifestyle and environmental exposures with epigenetic ageing at 22, according to a peer-reviewed Environment International paper verified after a 2 October report from Abu Dhabi-based Emirates News Agency. Researchers analysed 186 unique exposures and used two blood-DNA methylation measures. The exposure set explained about 28% of variation: 25.7% for PCGrimAge and 30.8% for DunedinPACE. Smoking, alcohol use and youth unemployment appeared among higher-age predictors, while some greenness measures aligned with lower values. Other counterintuitive results may reflect rural–urban or socioeconomic differences. This observational study shows associations, not proof that any one exposure causes faster or slower ageing, and it is not individual medical advice.

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