Media release

From: European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress

People may age faster if their dad smoked during puberty

People whose fathers smoked during puberty seem to age faster than expected, according to research presented at the European Respiratory Society (ERS) Congress in Amsterdam, the Netherlands [1].

The researchers found signs of faster biological ageing, compared to chronological age, in people whose fathers began smoking at age 15 or younger. They say smoking during puberty may create damage in boys’ developing sperm cells that can be passed on to their children.

The researchers call for stronger efforts to prevent tobacco use in teenagers, not only to benefit the current generation but also future generations.

The study was presented by Dr Juan Pablo López-Cervantes from the University of Bergen, Norway. He said: “Our research group has previously shown that smoking during puberty may harm not only the person who smokes, but also their future children. In this new study, we wanted to explore whether parental smoking in puberty may also influence the biological ageing of their future children.”

The researchers did this using a well-established measure of biological ageing known as epigenetic clocks. As we age, extra molecules accumulate on the DNA in our cells. This does not alter the DNA code, but it does influence how our genes behave. These so-called epigenetic changes are not only a sign of ageing, they are also linked to diseases of older age such as cancer and dementia.

The research included a group of 892 people, ranging in chronological age from 7 to 50 years and with an average age of 28, who were taking part in the RHINESSA study [2] and provided blood samples for testing. Their blood samples were analysed for epigenetic changes, then researchers applied three different scores of biological ageing. They were also asked a series of questions, including whether they or their parents had ever smoked and at what age.

The researchers found that people whose fathers began smoking during puberty were around nine months to a year older than their chronological age on average. When researchers took into account whether the people themselves had ever smoked, this gap between biological and chronological age was greater (14 to 15 months).

In people whose fathers began smoking later in life, researchers found only a small increase in biological age. They found no clear pattern in biological ageing in people whose mothers smoked before pregnancy.

Dr López-Cervantes said: “This accelerated biological ageing is important as it has been linked to a higher risk of diseases such as cancer, arthritis and dementia in previous research. Our results suggest that boys who smoke during puberty may be unknowingly creating harm for the children they go on to have.

“This research does not fully explain why smoking in puberty is linked to faster aging, but we think that when fathers start smoking during puberty, it may alter the epigenetic material of their sperm cells, and that these changes may be passed on to the next generation.

“Although this research is still in its early days, we believe our findings are important for young boys who smoke or consume other types of nicotine products. Stronger efforts to prevent tobacco use in adolescence should be a priority for policy makers. Such efforts could benefit not only the current generations but also those in the future.”

Dr Stamatoula Tsikrika is Chair of the European Respiratory Society’s expert group on tobacco, smoking control and health education, based at Sotiria Hospital in Athens, Greece, and was not involved in the research. She said: “We all know that smoking causes diseases such as asthma, COPD and cancer. What we’re starting to learn is that the damage caused by smoking can persist across generations. This study suggests that boys who start smoking at 15 or younger can pass the damage on to any children they have many years later.

“Although rates of smoking in teenagers seem to be declining, rates of vaping are generally increasing, and we don’t yet know the long-term impact of vaping on children and teenagers. This research is another reminder that we need to protect children and teenagers from nicotine addiction, smoking and vaping.”

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