Amsterdam: A scientific study from the University of Bergen in Norway revealed that the risks of parental smoking may be passed down through generations, accelerating aging in their children.
According to Qatar News Agency, researchers presenting at the European Respiratory Society Conference in Amsterdam noted that children whose fathers smoked during adolescence and beyond show signs of biological aging faster than their actual chronological age.
The researchers indicated that this acceleration is most evident among children whose fathers began smoking before the age of 15. These children appear biologically older by about 9 to 12 months compared to their real age, with the gap widening to 14-15 months among those who also smoke themselves.
The researchers explained that smoking during adolescence alters genes in ways that can be transmitted across generations. The danger lies in the fact that accelerated biological aging is scientifically linked to a higher risk of age-related diseases such as cancer, arthritis, and dementia. This makes the issue not only a biological phenomenon of interest but also an urgent public health warning.
Chair of the European Respiratory Society's expert group on tobacco smoking control and health education, Dr. Stamatoula Tsikrika, commented that these findings add to the growing body of evidence that smoking harms not only the smoker but also future generations.
The researchers called for intensified efforts to prevent adolescent smoking, not only to protect their immediate health but also as an investment in the health of future generations. Preventing nicotine addiction at a young age, they stressed, is no longer just a personal matter but a responsibility toward the children of the future who may pay the price in their health and life expectancy.
Smoking involves burning tobacco, followed by inhalation. The combustion releases numerous chemicals, with nicotine - the primary addictive substance - being absorbed through the lungs. Thousands of chemicals produced affect the central nervous system.