title: Dietary total antioxidant capacity is associated with leukocyte telomere length in a children and adolescent population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Oxidative stress and inflammation seem to be potential underlying mechanisms for telomere attrition. A lack of specific antioxidants is believed to increase free radical damage and a greater risk for telomere shortening. Our aim was to evaluate the relationship between diet and leukocyte telomere length in a cross-sectional study of children and adolescents. We hypothesized that dietary total antioxidant capacity would be positively associated with telomere length.
  
  
  METHODS
  Telomere length was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction in 287 participants (55% males, 6-18 years), who were randomly selected from the GENOI study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A positive correlation between dietary total antioxidant capacity and telomere length (r = 0.157, p = 0.007) was found after adjustment for age and energy intake. However, higher white bread consumption was associated with shorter telomeres (β = -0.204, p = 0.002) in fully-adjusted models. Interestingly, those individuals who had simultaneously higher dietary total antioxidant capacity and lower white bread consumption significantly presented the longest telomeres. Moreover, the multivariable-adjusted odds ratio for very short telomeres was 0.30 for dietary total antioxidant capacity (p = 0.023) and 1.37 for white bread (p = 0.025).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was concluded that longer telomeres were associated with higher dietary total antioxidant capacity and lower white bread consumption in Spanish children and adolescents. These findings might open a new line of investigation about the potential role of an antioxidant diet in maintaining telomere length.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Food Science and Physiology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: García-Calzón
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Food Science and Physiology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moleres
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain.
authors.forename: Miguel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Martínez-González
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Food Science and Physiology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain.
authors.forename: J Alfredo
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Martínez
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Guillermo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zalba
authors.affiliation: Department of Nutrition, Food Science and Physiology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain; CIBER Fisiopatología de la Obesidad y Nutrición (CIBERobn), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain. Electronic address: amarti@unav.es.
authors.forename: Amelia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Marti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D001939:Bread; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002523:Edible Grain; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D023281:Genomics; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D013030:Spain; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016615:Telomere / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D059505:Telomere Homeostasis / Q000187:drug effects*; D059506:Telomere Shortening
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D004044:Dietary Proteins
keywords: Antioxidants; Diet; Oxidative stress; Telomeres; Young population