title: Effect of weight maintenance or gain in a 10 years period over telomere length, sirtuin 1 and 6 expression and carotid intima media thickness.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Lack of weight gain throughout adult life could mimic the beneficial effects of energy restriction in humans. The present study aimed to assess the effects of weight stability or gain, over a period of 10 years, on telomere length, sirtuin 1 and 6 expression, and carotid intima media thickness.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 148 healthy adults (age range 20-59 years; 101 females) who had an objective record of their weight 10 years before. They were classified as weight losers, weight maintainers, weight gainers and extreme weight gainers. A fasting blood sample was obtained for routine laboratory and isolation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells, to extract DNA and RNA, and to measure telomere length and sirtuin 1 and 6 expression, respectively. Carotid intima media thickness was measured by ultrasound. Body composition was measured by Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the 10-year period, 24 participants lost weight (17 females), 65 maintained weight (41 females), 25 gained weight (15 females) and 34 were extreme weight gainers (28 females). Female weight gainers had a higher body mass index, waist circumference, total body fat and homeostatic model assessment insulin resistance. Male weight gainers had a higher hip circumference and total body fat. No differences in telomere length, sirtuin 1 expression and carotid intima media thickness were observed between weight gainers and maintainers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  No effect of weight maintenance or gain was observed on metabolic and vascular markers of ageing.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bunout
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Barrera
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: de la Maza
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Leiva
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hirsch
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D059168:Carotid Intima-Media Thickness; D004247:DNA / Q000097:blood; D015930:Diet Records; D005260:Female; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012313:RNA / Q000097:blood; D056564:Sirtuin 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D037761:Sirtuins / Q000235:genetics*; D059505:Telomere Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D055105:Waist Circumference; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D012313:RNA; D004247:DNA; C516592:SIRT6 protein, human; D056564:Sirtuin 1; D037761:Sirtuins
keywords: carotid intima media thickness; energy restriction; sirtuins; telomeres; weight