The stress induced by racist acts could have repercussions on health. Starting from this hypothesis, epidemiologist David Chae of the University of Maryland and his team wondered if this racism was observable biologically. To do this, they focused their attention on the telomeres, the ends of chromosomes that protect the DNA of cells. The length of telomeres is a good indicator of physiological age, since their shortening is associated with an increased risk of age-related diseases such as Alzheimer’s. “Two 35-year-olds who are the same age chronologically will not necessarily have the same age at the cellular level, depending on their experiences during their lifetime,” says Dr. Chae quoted by colorlines. com.
The researchers therefore compared the length of telomeres on a small panel of 95 black American men aged 35 to 50. The volunteers were also questioned about their daily lives and any acts of racism suffered in their everyday life. The results of their study appeared in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
From “internalized” racism
The results do not categorically conclude to a link between exposure to racist acts and shorter telomeres. In contrast, African Americans who internalize the idea that the racism they experience is deserved would have shorter telomeres. “African American men who have a positive view of their ethnic group might be protected from the negative impact of racial discrimination. In contrast, those who have internalized an anti-black bias might be less able to deal with racist experiences,” which could cause stress and shorter telomeres, ”summarizes David Chae, quoted by the blog Passeurdesciences.
A shorter life expectancy
Why did the study focus on African Americans? According to the Center for Disease Control, blacks in the United States have an average life expectancy six years shorter than white American males. The former also have a 60% higher risk of developing prostate cancer than whites. “Racism is a form of stress experienced by 75% of African Americans,” adds Dr. Amani Nuru-Jeter, professor at Berkeley and co-author of the study.
