Growing up in poverty weakens later health – even if you escape it
Noortje Uphoff, University of York Poverty remains a widespread problem. In the UK, 30% of children are growing up in poverty. More than half of these children are in working households , and poverty is on the rise even for children whose parents work in government-funded jobs . According to new research from the University of Geneva, these children may be at risk of poorer health in adulthood – even if they escape poverty later in life. This suggests that childhood adversity doesn’t just affect our choices, but also directly compromises the biological ability of our bodies to stay healthy. Our childhood affects our health across the course of our lives. Stress, it seems, is a major contributor. While a life lived with financial, educational and social security and stability may not be free of worries, a disadvantaged childhood means more exposure to a number of difficult circumstances and events . These may include social tensions, domestic abuse, neglect, food and ...