Reporter brief
Marriage associated with decelerated epigenetic aging on one of three clocks in observational study
What happened
Cross-sectional analysis of 762 MIDUS II participants examined associations between marital status and three epigenetic aging measures (PhenoAge, GrimAge, DunedinPACE). Being married versus separated/divorced was associated with slower aging on DunedinPACE only. Gender differences emerged for never-married status: men who never married showed accelerated aging on GrimAge and DunedinPACE, while women did not.
Why it matters
Assessment pending; this report does not establish a change in evidence.
What it does NOT prove
- Limitations have not been recorded; consult the primary source.
Study design and sample
Cohort; Human.
Participants from the Midlife in the United States Study (MIDUS II); men N = 382, women N = 380
- Design
- Cohort
- Sample
- 762
- Journal
- Frontiers in aging
- Published
- Sep 7, 2026
Effect size
Being married was associated with decelerated epigenetic aging on DunedinPACE, but not on PhenoAge or GrimAge. Never marrying accelerated GrimAge and DunedinPACE scores among men, but not women.
Caveats
- Assessment: Superseded.
- Only the source material recorded on this evidence page was assessed.
Conflicts and funding
Not recorded.
Previous evidence
See the Social connection timeline and recorded assessment for prior evidence.
Primary source
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