Debt in young adults could cause stress management and health issues, according to a new study.
Scientists from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and the Centre on Social Disparities and Health came together to try and find out more about the impact that high levels of borrowing have on people between the ages of 24 and 32.
Researchers used data from 8,400 subjects in this range and found those with raised debt levels had a 1.3 per cent increase in diastolic blood pressure, which is described in the study as “clinically significant”.
Scientists also discovered those with higher rates of borrowing had problems with stress. There was an 11.7 per cent increase in anxiety for people with money problems compared to the mean and a 15 per cent higher risk of a stroke.
Elizabeth Sweet, lead author of the study, said: “You wouldn’t necessarily expect to see associations between debt and physical health in people who are so young … we need to be aware of this association and understand it better.”
