Metabolic aging and predicted longevity: results of a cross-sectional study in post-menopausal women.
OBJECTIVE
The extent to which general characteristics of metabolic aging contribute to differences in life span among individuals remains uncertain. The objective of this study was to examine the association of age-related physiological and metabolic variables with predicted longevity in postmenopausal women.


METHODS
Subjects were 33 healthy women aged 55-65 years. Total and resting energy expenditure, body temperature, immune function as assessed by a delayed-type hypersensitivity skin test (DTH), lipid profile, and reported dietary intake were measured.


RESULTS
There were no significant associations between longevity, energy expenditure, body temperature, lipid profile, or dietary intake. However, there was a significant association of predicted longevity with DTH (partial r=0.44, p=0.023).


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that immune function may predict familial differences in longevity, while energy expenditure, body temperature, lipid profile, and dietary intake are unrelated. Although the small sample size may have limited the ability to detect metabolic effects on longevity in this study, the general approach may be broadly applicable to examinations of metabolic aging in humans.
Hays
Nicholas P
NP
Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA.
Bathalon
Gaston P
GP
Meydani
Simin N
SN
Leka
Lynette S
LS
Lipman
Ruth
R
Roubenoff
Ronenn
R
Schaefer
Ernst J
EJ
Roberts
Susan B
SB
D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001481:Basal Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008136:Longevity / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000502:physiology*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests