Minimal changes in telomere length after a 12-week dietary intervention with almonds in mid-age to older, overweight, and obese Australians: Results of a randomised clinical trial

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-38
Author(s):  
Susan J Ward ◽  
Alison M Hill ◽  
Jonathan D Buckley ◽  
Siobhan Banks ◽  
Varinderpal S Dhillon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Telomere Length ◽  
Diet Quality ◽  
Whole Blood ◽  
Dietary Intervention ◽  
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Randomised Clinical Trial ◽  
Base Pairs ◽  
Dietary Guideline ◽  
Discretionary Choices ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Diet is a modifiable risk factor for chronic disease and a potential modulator of telomere length (TL). The study aim was to investigate associations between diet quality and TL in Australian adults after a 12-week dietary intervention with an almond-enriched diet. Participants (overweight/obese, 50-80 years) were randomised to an almond-enriched diet (AED, N=62) or iso-caloric nut-free diet (NFD, N=62) for 12 weeks. Diet quality was assessed using a Dietary Guideline Index (DGI), applied to weighed food records, that consists of 10 components reflecting adequacy, variety and quality of core food components and discretionary choices within the diet. Telomere length was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction in samples of lymphocytes, neutrophils, and whole blood. There were no significant associations between DGI scores and TL at baseline. Diet quality improved with AED and decreased with NFD after 12 weeks (change from baseline AED +9.8%, NFD −14.3%; P<0.001). Telomere length increased in neutrophils (+ 9.6 base pairs, P=0.009) and decreased in whole blood, to a trivial extent (−12.1 base pairs, P=0.001), and was unchanged in lymphocytes. Changes did not differ between intervention groups. There were no significant relationships between changes in diet quality scores and changes in lymphocyte, neutrophil or whole blood TL. The inclusion of almonds in the diet improved diet quality scores but had no impact on TL mid-age to older Australian adults. Future studies should investigate the impact of more substantial dietary changes over longer periods of time.

scholarly journals Parallel telomere shortening in multiple body tissues owing to malaria infection

2016 ◽  
Vol 283 (1836) ◽  
pp. 20161184 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Asghar ◽  
Vaidas Palinauskas ◽  
Nadège Zaghdoudi-Allan ◽  
Gediminas Valkiūnas ◽  
Andrey Mukhin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Telomere Length ◽  
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Telomere Shortening ◽  
Tissue Samples ◽  
Telomere Attrition ◽  
Body Tissues ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Avian Malaria Parasite ◽  
Systemic Stress ◽  
The Impact

Several studies have shown associations between shorter telomere length in blood and weakened immune function, susceptibility to infections, and increased risk of morbidity and mortality. Recently, we have shown that malaria accelerates telomere attrition in blood cells and shortens lifespan in birds. However, the impact of infections on telomere attrition in different body tissues within an individual is unknown. Here, we tested whether malarial infection leads to parallel telomere shortening in blood and tissue samples from different organs. We experimentally infected siskins ( Spinus spinus ) with the avian malaria parasite Plasmodium ashfordi , and used real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to measure telomere length in control and experimentally infected siskins. We found that experimentally infected birds showed faster telomere attrition in blood over the course of infection compared with control individuals (repeatedly measured over 105 days post-infection (DPI)). Shorter telomeres were also found in the tissue of all six major organs investigated (liver, lungs, spleen, heart, kidney, and brain) in infected birds compared with controls at 105 DPI. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study showing that an infectious disease results in synchronous telomere shortening in the blood and tissue cells of internal organs within individuals, implying that the infection induces systemic stress. Our results have far-reaching implications for understanding how the short-term effects of an infection can translate into long-term costs, such as organ dysfunction, degenerative diseases, and ageing.

scholarly journals Telomere length measurement for longitudinal analysis: implications of assay precision

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Nettle ◽  
Shahinaz M Gadalla ◽  
Tsung-Po Lai ◽  
Ezra Susser ◽  
Melissa Bateson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Longitudinal Study ◽  
Measurement Error ◽  
Telomere Length ◽  
Longitudinal Analysis ◽  
Statistical Power ◽  
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Gold Standard Method ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Researchers increasingly wish to test hypotheses concerning the impact of environmental or disease exposures on telomere length (TL), and use longitudinal study designs to do so. In population studies, TL is usually measured using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR)-based method. This method has been validated by presenting a correlation with a gold standard method such as Southern blotting (SB) in cross-sectional datasets. However, in a cross-section, the range of true variation in TL is large, and measurement error is introduced only once. In a longitudinal study, the target variation of interest is small, and measurement error is introduced both at baseline and follow-up. We present a small dataset (n = 20) where leukocyte TL was measured 6.6 years apart by both qPCR and SB. The cross-sectional correlations between qPCR and SB were high both at baseline (r = 0.90) and follow-up (r = 0.85), yet their correlation for TL change was poor (r = 0.48). Moreover, the qPCR but not SB data showed strong signatures of measurement error. Through simulation, we show that the statistical power gain from performing a longitudinal analysis is much greater for SB than qPCR. We discuss implications for optimal study design and analysis.

scholarly journals Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Telomere Length in a Random Sample of 5448 U.S. Adults

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 1415
Author(s):  
Larry A. Tucker
Keyword(s):  
Telomere Length ◽  
Random Sample ◽  
Vegetable Intake ◽  
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Cellular Aging ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable Intake ◽  
Biological Aging ◽  
Fruit And Vegetable ◽  
Base Pairs ◽  
Cross Sectional

The relationship between fruit and vegetable intake and telomere length was examined using a cross-sectional design and an NHANES random sample of 5448 U.S. adults. Fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption was assessed using a 24 h recall, and telomere length, an index of cellular aging, was measured using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction method. Telomere length was linearly related to F&V intake when combined (F = 22.7, p < 0.0001) and also when separated as fruit (F = 7.2, p < 0.0121) or vegetables (F = 15.4, p < 0.0005), after adjusting for covariates. Specifically, telomeres were 27.8 base pairs longer for each 100 g (3.5 ounces) of F&V consumed. Because each additional year of chronological age was associated with telomeres that were 14.9 base pairs shorter, when women and men were analyzed together, results indicated that a 100 g (3.5 oz) per day increment in F&V corresponded with 1.9 years less biological aging. When the 75th percentile of F&V intake was compared to the 25th, the difference was 4.4 years of cellular aging. When separated by sex, fruits and vegetables were both related to telomere length in women, but only vegetable intake was predictive of telomere length in men. In conclusion, evidence based on a random sample of U.S. adults indicates that the more the servings of F&V, the longer telomeres tend to be.

scholarly journals Understanding the Variation within a Dietary Guideline Index Score to Identify the Priority Food Group Targets for Improving Diet Quality across Population Subgroups

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 378
Author(s):  
Gilly A. Hendrie ◽  
Greg Lyle ◽  
Chelsea E. Mauch ◽  
Joyce Haddad ◽  
Rebecca K. Golley
Keyword(s):  
Diet Quality ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Food Group ◽  
Dietary Intakes ◽  
Food Groups ◽  
Younger Adults ◽  
Dietary Guideline ◽  
Discretionary Choices ◽  
Reported Data

Globally, population dietary intakes fall below the guideline recommendations and large-scale interventions have had modest success in improving diet quality. To inform the development of more targeted approaches, this study analysed the variations in self-reported data from an online survey of Australian adults collected between 2015 and 2020, to identify common combinations of low scoring components within a dietary guideline index. A low score was defined as meeting less than half the guideline recommendations (a score <50 out of 100). Among 230,575 adults, a single component analysis showed that 79.5% had a low score for discretionary choices, 72.2% for healthy fats and 70.8% for dairy. The combinations approach showed 83.0% of individuals had two to five low scoring components, with men, younger adults aged 18–30 years and individuals with obesity (BMI ≥ 30) more likely to have five or more. The most common dietary pattern combination included low scores for discretionary choices, dairy and healthy fats. There was a considerable but systematic variation in the low scoring components within the dietary patterns, suggesting that interventions with the flexibility to address particular combinations of key food groups across subgroups could be an effective and resource efficient way to improve diet quality in the population.

scholarly journals Application of an Australian Dietary Guideline Index to Weighed Food Records

Nutrients ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 1286
Author(s):  
Susan J. Ward ◽  
Alison M. Coates ◽  
Alison M. Hill
Keyword(s):  
Diet Quality ◽  
Methodological Approach ◽  
Saturated Fat ◽  
Dietary Guidelines ◽  
Added Sugars ◽  
Food Records ◽  
Dietary Guideline ◽  
Discretionary Choices ◽  
The Relationship

The Dietary Guideline Index (DGI) is a validated diet quality index that reflects adherence to the Australian Dietary Guidelines. The aim of the current study was to establish a novel methodology that applied the DGI to dietary data collected via gold standard, weighed food records (WFR). Consisting of 10 components with a maximal score of 120, the DGI reflected the food-based recommendations of the current Australian Dietary Guidelines and included indicators to score adequacy and quality of core food components and discretionary choices within the diet. The DGI was applied to WFR collected from a sample of 141 adults (84 women, 57 men). Differences between gender for each indicator, as well as subscores for core and noncore components of the DGI were examined. Construct validity was assessed by evaluating the relationship between total DGI score and intake of key nutrients of interest. Overall, the median DGI score was low, 50.87 (range 20.6–104.1). Higher DGI scores were associated with lower intakes of saturated fat, added sugars and sodium (P < 0.05). This methodological approach of applying the DGI to WFR may improve our ability to quantify diet quality, thereby providing a tool to assess changes in dietary intake over time and allow the quantification of diet quality as a variable in relation to health outcomes.

scholarly journals Anxiety disorders and accelerated cellular ageing

2015 ◽  
Vol 206 (5) ◽  
pp. 371-378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Josine E. Verhoeven ◽  
Dóra Révész ◽  
Patricia van Oppen ◽  
Elissa S. Epel ◽  
Owen M. Wolkowitz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorder ◽  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Telomere Length ◽  
Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Base Pairs ◽  
Anxiety Group ◽  
Severity Scores ◽  
Cellular Ageing

BackgroundAnxiety disorders increase the risk of onset of several ageing-related somatic conditions, which might be the consequence of accelerated cellular ageing.AimsTo examine the association between anxiety status and leukocyte telomere length (LTL) as an indicator of cellular ageing.MethodData are from individuals with current (n = 1283) and remitted (n = 459) anxiety disorder, and controls (n = 582) with no psychiatric disorder from the Netherlands Study of Depression and Anxiety. We determined DSM-IV anxiety diagnoses and clinical characteristics by structured psychiatric interviews and self-report questionnaires; LTL was assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction and converted into base pairs (bp).ResultsPatients in the current anxiety group (bp = 5431) had significantly shorter LTL compared with the control group (bp = 5506, P = 0.01) and the remitted anxiety group (bp = 5499, P = 0.03) in analyses adjusted for sociodemographics, health and lifestyle. The remitted anxiety group did not differ from the control group (P = 0.84), however, time since remission was positively related with LTL. Furthermore, anxiety severity scores were associated with LTL in the whole sample, in line with a dose–response association.ConclusionsPatients with current – but not remitted – anxiety disorder had shorter telomere length, suggesting a process of accelerated cellular ageing, which in part may be reversible after remission.

Dietary Patterns: A New Therapeutic Approach for Depression?

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-129 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mariana Jesus ◽  
Tânia Silva ◽  
César Cagigal ◽  
Vera Martins ◽  
Carla Silva
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Dietary Patterns ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trials ◽  
Dietary Intervention ◽  
Common Mental Disorder ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Inverse Association ◽  
The Impact

Introduction: The field of nutritional psychiatry is a fast-growing one. Although initially, it focused on the effects of vitamins and micronutrients in mental health, in the last decade, its focus also extended to the dietary patterns. The possibility of a dietary cost-effective intervention in the most common mental disorder, depression, cannot be overlooked due to its potential large-scale impact. Method: A classic review of the literature was conducted, and studies published between 2010 and 2018 focusing on the impact of dietary patterns in depression and depressive symptoms were included. Results: We found 10 studies that matched our criteria. Most studies showed an inverse association between healthy dietary patterns, rich in fruits, vegetables, lean meats, nuts and whole grains, and with low intake of processed and sugary foods, and depression and depressive symptoms throughout an array of age groups, although some authors reported statistical significance only in women. While most studies were of cross-sectional design, making it difficult to infer causality, a randomized controlled trial presented similar results. Discussion: he association between dietary patterns and depression is now well-established, although the exact etiological pathways are still unknown. Dietary intervention, with the implementation of healthier dietary patterns, closer to the traditional ones, can play an important role in the prevention and adjunctive therapy of depression and depressive symptoms. Conclusion: More large-scale randomized clinical trials need to be conducted, in order to confirm the association between high-quality dietary patterns and lower risk of depression and depressive symptoms.

scholarly journals Telomere length varies substantially between blood cell types in a reptile

2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (6) ◽  
pp. 192136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mats Olsson ◽  
Nicholas J. Geraghty ◽  
Erik Wapstra ◽  
Mark Wilson
Keyword(s):  
Blood Cell ◽  
Telomere Length ◽  
Whole Blood ◽  
Phylogenetic Analyses ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Tissue Type ◽  
Telomeric Dna ◽  
Blood Cell Type ◽  
Widespread Phenomenon

Telomeres are repeat sequences of non-coding DNA-protein molecules that cap or intersperse metazoan chromosomes. Interest in telomeres has increased exponentially in recent years, to now include their ongoing dynamics and evolution within natural populations where individuals vary in telomere attributes. Phylogenetic analyses show profound differences in telomere length across non-model taxa. However, telomeres may also differ in length within individuals and between tissues. The latter becomes a potential source of error when researchers use different tissues for extracting DNA for telomere analysis and scientific inference. A commonly used tissue type for assessing telomere length is blood, a tissue that itself varies in terms of nuclear content among taxa, in particular to what degree their thrombocytes and red blood cells (RBCs) contain nuclei or not. Specifically, when RBCs lack nuclei, leucocytes become the main source of telomeric DNA. RBCs and leucocytes differ in lifespan and how long they have been exposed to ‘senescence' and erosion effects. We report on a study in which cells in whole blood from individual Australian painted dragon lizards ( Ctenophorus pictus ) were identified using flow cytometry and their telomere length simultaneously measured. Lymphocyte telomeres were on average 270% longer than RBC telomeres, and in azurophils (a reptilian monocyte), telomeres were more than 388% longer than those in RBCs. If this variation in telomere length among different blood cell types is a widespread phenomenon, and DNA for comparative telomere analyses are sourced from whole blood, evolutionary inference of telomere traits among taxa may be seriously complicated by the blood cell type comprising the main source of DNA.

scholarly journals Changes in Consumers’ Food Practices during the COVID-19 Lockdown, Implications for Diet Quality and the Food System: A Cross-Continental Comparison

Nutrients ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 20
Author(s):  
Blain Murphy ◽  
Tony Benson ◽  
Amanda McCloat ◽  
Elaine Mooney ◽  
Chris Elliott ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Diet Quality ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Food System ◽  
Vegetable Intake ◽  
Saturated Fat ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Food Practices ◽  
The Impact

COVID-19 has led to dramatic societal changes. Differing movement restrictions across countries have affected changes in consumers’ food practices, with a potentially detrimental impact on their health and food systems. To investigate this, this research explored changes in consumers’ food practices during the initial COVID-19 phase and assessed the impact of location on these changes. A sample of 2360 adults from three continents (Island of Ireland (IOI), Great Britain (GB), United States (USA), and New Zealand (NZ)) were recruited for a cross-sectional online survey (May–June 2020). Participants completed questions in relation to their cooking and food practices, diet quality, and COVID-19 food-related practices. Significant changes in consumers’ food practices during the pandemic were seen within and between regions, with fewer cooking practices changes found in the USA. Food practices, which may put added pressure on the food system, such as bulk buying, were seen across all regions. To prevent this, organisational food practices, including planning ahead, should be emphasized. Additionally, while positive cooking-related practices and increases in fruit and vegetable intake were found, an increase in saturated fat intake was also seen. With the additional pressure on individuals’ physical and mental health, the essentiality of maintaining a balanced diet should be promoted.

scholarly journals Effect of a High-Intensity Dietary Intervention on Changes in Dietary Intake and Eating Pathology during a Multicomponent Adolescent Obesity Intervention

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1850
Author(s):  
Hollie A. Raynor ◽  
Suzanne E. Mazzeo ◽  
Jessica Gokee LaRose ◽  
Elizabeth L. Adams ◽  
Laura M. Thornton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Dietary Intake ◽  
Energy Intake ◽  
Diet Quality ◽  
Dietary Intervention ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Obesity Treatment ◽  
Healthy Eating Index ◽  
Eating Pathology ◽  
Post Treatment ◽  
Eating Disorder Examination

Concerns remain about dietary changes during pediatric obesity treatment and eating pathology, which have not been investigated. This secondary data analysis from a randomized clinical trial examined associations between adolescents’ changes in energy intake and diet quality during obesity treatment with post-treatment eating pathology. Adolescents (N = 82: 13.7 ± 1.2 y, 34.9 ± 7.0 kg/m2, 63.4% female, 46.3% black) received TEENS+, a 4-month multicomponent intervention. TEENS+ provided individualized dietary goals (1200–1800 kcal/day; number of “Go” foods/day (low-energy, high-nutrient-dense foods)). At 0 and 4 months, 3-day food records assessed energy intake and diet quality (Healthy Eating Index 2015 (HEI-2015)). Two HEI-2015 subscores were created: components to increase (increase), and components to limit (decrease). The Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire measured eating pathology (total score and subscales: restraint; and eating, weight, and shape concern). Corrected p-values are reported as q-values. Energy intake decreased (−292 ± 418 kcal/day; q < 0.001), while diet quality improved during treatment (total HEI-2015 (4.5 ± 15.1; q = 0.034) and increase (3.3 ± 9.4; q = 0.011)). Restraint increased (+0.6 ± 1.4; q < 0.001), whereas shape (−0.5 ± 1.3; q = 0.004) and weight (−0.5 ± 1.4; q = 0.015) concerns decreased. Greater decreases in energy intake were associated with greater restraint post-treatment (F = 17.69; q < 0.001). No other significant associations were observed. Changes in adolescents’ dietary intake during obesity treatment were unrelated to increased shape, weight, or eating concerns post-treatment.

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