Diet and Lifestyle Factors Associated with Telomere Length

Telomeres are DNA sequences found at the ends of chromosomes.  Research has shown that telomere length appears to be associated with aging, such that shorter telomere lengths are associated with shorter life spans.  However, it is unclear whether telomere length is simply a sign of aging or whether the length of the telomere actually contributes to the aging process.  You can read more about the potential role of telomere length in this article.

A new study examined potential relationships between diet and lifestyle factors and telomere length in over 2,000 wome participating in the Nurses' Health Study.  Telomere length was measured in white blood cells from the study participants and correlated with diet and lifestyle factors assessed with a questionnaire.  The results of this study showed that:

• Higher levels of dietary fiber intake were associated with longer telomere length.  This was particularly evident for cereal fiber.
• Shorter telomeres were seen on average in women with higher consumption of linoleic acid, one of the polyunsaturated fats.
• Telomere length was shorter with increasing waist size.

Dietary fiber, fat consumption, and body composition have all been shown to be associated with various health benefits or risks.  Dietary fiber has been shown to have a variety of potential health benefits, so it is interesting to see that it is also associated with longer telomere length, a potential marker of longer life.  In contrast, excess body fat and consumption of some fats have been reported to be risk factors for various chronic health conditions.  Polyunsaturated fats are generally considered one of the healthier types of dietary fat; however, this research would suggest that there might be differences for the specific polyunsaturated fats.

Whether the impact of diet and lifestyle choices on healthy aging is due at least in part to telomere length will require additional research to determine.  Nonetheless, this study suggests that diet and lifestyle choices are modestly related to telomere length.  Overall, this study supports the concept that diet and lifestyle choices impact healthy aging and perhaps life span. 

Making healthier lifestyle choices should be an important part of each of our daily routines.  One such choice we can all make is to maintain a healthy body weight.  Following my easy diet plan is a simple way to do just that.