Scientists: the unemployed are aging prematurely

Scientists from Imperial College London and the University of Oulu in Finland conducted a study that showed that unemployed men age prematurely. They found that men without regular jobs had shortened telomeres twice as often as those who worked.

Telomeres are structures in DNA that become shorter during a person's life and serve as an indicator of biological aging. Scientists studied DNA samples from 5,620 men and women born in 1966 living in Finland. They noticed that among men who had been without a permanent job for the past two years, shortened telomeres were twice as common.

However, no such trend was found in women. This is because women aged around 31 are less likely to be unemployed than men. The researchers note that more research is needed to determine whether unemployment is more harmful for men or women.

However, as scientists note, work prolongs youth. Previous studies have shown that people who work longer have fewer health problems and live longer. Work not only provides financial stability, but also provides opportunities for social and physical activity, which in turn helps to maintain health and youth.

Thus, a study by scientists from Imperial College London and the University of Oulu in Finland confirms that work can be an important factor in maintaining health and youth. However, more research is needed to understand how unemployment affects the health and aging of men and women.