Study Finds Younger Generations Age Faster, Early Cancer Rises

A study published in *Nature Medicine* reports that people born between 1965 and 1974 show a higher biological age than those born in 1950‑54, and those born in the 1990s age biologically faster than the 1965‑69 cohort. Biological age reflects cellular and molecular aging and does not always match chronological age. The researchers suggest that accelerated biological ageing may be linked to a sharp rise in cancers diagnosed before age 50. Global data show early‑onset cancer cases have risen 79 % since 1990, and the European Cancer Information System recorded about 13,800 diagnoses in children and youths across 27 EU states since 2022. Dr. Yin Cao, an associate professor at the University of Washington and co‑author, said the findings “suggest some younger adults may experience these changes earlier than expected, which could relate to the increase in cancer cases in these generations.” The study cautions that lifestyle factors such as ultra‑processed foods, alcohol, obesity, smoking and microplastic exposure may also contribute, but no direct cause‑and‑effect relationship has been established.