According to a new study, people who experience parental divorce in childhood have higher levels of inflammatory markers in the blood, which are known to have an impact on future health.
A study published in Psychoneuroendocrinology shows that children who survived a breakdown in a parental relationship under 16 years old, regardless of whether their parents were married or not, had a 16% higher level of C-reactive protein at 44 years old. C-reactive protein is a marker of inflammation measured in blood samples. A long-term increase in C-reactive protein is a known risk factor for diseases such as coronary heart disease and type II diabetes.
This study is based on data from 7462 people born in 1958 from the National Institute for Child Development. The authors also looked at the relationship between these two factors. They found that the relationship between parental divorce and inflammation is mainly due to the lack of education and upbringing of adolescents, although specific mechanisms remain unclear.
This study emphasizes the importance of maintaining a family in order to help reduce the risk of subsequent illnesses.