Reporter brief
Smoking cessation associated with reversal of epigenetic aging in observational study of 1,911 US adults.
What happened
This observational study examined associations between smoking status and DNA methylation-based measures of biological aging in 1,911 US adults aged 50-84 years from NHANES 1999-2002. Former smokers with ≥20 years of cessation showed substantially reduced epigenetic age acceleration (GrimAge2: -12.66 years) approaching levels of never smokers (-13.88 years), with a dose-response pattern where longer cessation duration was associated with greater reversal of aging markers across multiple DNA methylation clocks.
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
Observational; Human.
US adults aged 50-84 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2002 cycles, n=1,911
- Design
- Observational
- Sample
- 1,911
- Journal
- GeroScience
- Published
- Sep 15, 2026
Effect size
Former smokers with ≥20 years of cessation: β = -12.66 years (95% CI: -14.56, -10.75) for GrimAge2; never smokers: β = -13.88 years (95% CI: -15.70, -12.05) for GrimAge2; current smokers exhibited highest EAA across all clocks; restricted cubic spline analysis revealed rapid initial declines in EAA during first decade post-cessation with continuous declines observed beyond 20 years for GrimAge2 and DunedinPoAm
Caveats
- Assessment: Superseded.
- Only the source material recorded on this evidence page was assessed.
Conflicts and funding
Not recorded.
Previous evidence
See the Smoking cessation timeline and recorded assessment for prior evidence.
Primary source
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