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<\/a><\/p>\nThey looked for these epigenetic changes in blood samples of 892 people from various European countries and Australia, ranging in age from seven to 50.<\/p>\n
The subjects were asked a series of questions including whether they or their parents had ever smoked and at what age.<\/p>\n
People whose fathers began smoking during puberty were around nine months to a year older than their chronological age on average.<\/p>\n
If the person had ever smoked themselves the differences were \u201cmore pronounced\u201d, the authors reported.<\/p>\n
Among those whose fathers began smoking later in life, researchers found only a small increase in biological age.<\/p>\n
They found no clear pattern in biological ageing in people whose mothers smoked before pregnancy.<\/p>\n
Presenting the study, Dr Juan Pablo Lopez-Cervantes from the University of Bergen, Norway, said: \u201cOur research group has previously shown that smoking during puberty may harm not only the person who smokes, but also their future children.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn this new study, we wanted to explore whether parental smoking in puberty may also influence the biological ageing of their future children.\u201d<\/p>\n
He added: \u201cAccelerated biological ageing is important as it has been linked to a higher risk of diseases such as cancer, arthritis and dementia in previous research.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur results suggest that boys who smoke during puberty may be unknowingly creating harm for the children they go on to have.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis research does not fully explain why smoking in puberty is linked to faster ageing, 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cAlthough 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.<\/p>\n
\u201cStronger 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.\u201d<\/p>\n
Sarah Sleet, chief executive of Asthma and Lung UK, said: \u201cThis research highlights why we must do everything we can to keep children away from smoking and help them stop if they have started.<\/p>\n
\u201cPublic health educators will need to think about how to help boys on the threshold of puberty understand the dangers not just for them, but also any children they may have.<\/p>\n
\u201cAdequate funding for smoking cessation services is vital. You are three times more likely to quit smoking successfully if you have a combination of counselling support and treatment to help relieve cravings and break tobacco dependence.<\/p>\n
\u201cSmoking cessation services actually save the NHS money, but should be paid for by a \u2018polluter pays\u2019 levy on the tobacco industry, which continues to make massive profits off harming people, with no penalty.\u201d<\/p>\n
\nWhen you stop smoking, you can begin to see almost immediate improvements to your health. So don\u2019t hesitate, there’s lots of free support to help you quit. https:\/\/t.co\/t3lyX1iQwx<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/zIpEY7YNXe<\/a><\/p>\n