Telomere length and its relationships with lifestyle and behavioural factors

Adherence to healthy lifestyles/behaviours promotes healthy ageing. However, little is known about whether age, sex and/or race/ethnicity moderate associations of lifestyle/behavioural factors with relative telomere length (RTL), a potential biomarker of ageing.
A US study examined the associations between lifestyle/behavioural exposures (i.e. physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking and depression) with relative telomere length. Participants included 749 midlife to older non-Hispanic White (n = 254), Black (n = 248) and Hispanic (n = 247with a mean age of 69.3 years; women: 50.5%]. Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral leucocytes. Relative telomere length was assayed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction.
Increasing chronological age was associated with shorter relative telomere length. Higher physical activity was associated with longer relative telomere length; daily versus never/rare alcohol consumption and 30+ versus <5 smoking pack-year were associated with shorter relative telomere length. Associations varied significantly by sex and race/ethnicity. The association between physical activity and longer relative telomere length appeared strongest among non-Hispanic Whites. Compared to men, women had stronger associations between heavy smoking and shorter RTLs. Light/moderate alcohol consumption (monthly/weekly) was associated with longer relative telomere length among non-Hispanic Whites, while daily consumption was related to shorter relative telomere length among Blacks and Hispanics. Associations of daily alcohol and heavy smoking with shorter relative telomere lengths were particularly apparent among Black women.
The authors observed novel variations by sex and race/ethnicity in associations between lifestyle/behavioural factors and relative telomere length. They recommend that further work is needed to replicate these findings and to address potential public health implications for modifying strategies by sex or across racial/ethnic groups to optimise lifestyles/behaviours for healthy ageing.
Source: CM Vyas, S Ogata, CF Reynolds, 3rd, D Mischoulon, G Chang, NR Cook, JE Manson, M Crous-Bou, I De Vivo, OI Okereke, Telomere length and its relationships with lifestyle and behavioural factors: variations by sex and race/ethnicity, Age and Ageing, , afaa186.