Rate of telomere shortening and metabolic and cardiovascular risk factors: a longitudinal study in the 1934-44 Helsinki Birth Cohort Study.
BACKGROUND
Leucocyte telomere length (LTL) is associated with age-related health outcomes, but only few longitudinal studies have assessed changes in LTL in an ageing population.


METHODS
A total of 1,082 subjects from the Helsinki Birth Cohort Study (born 1934-1944), undergoing two clinical visits ∼10 years apart, were studied. Relative LTL was measured twice by quantitative real-time PCR. Simple and multiple regressions were used to study associations between cardiometabolic risk factors and LTL.


RESULTS
Telomere shortening was observed in 93.7%, and telomere elongation in 6.3% of the study participants. Telomere shortening was more rapid among males (-39.5% ± 1.1% versus -35.5% ± 1.0%, P < 0.01). In men a decrease in weight, waist circumference, BMI, and body fat percentage were all associated with telomere shortening during the follow-up (P < 0.05) independently of age and use of medication. Furthermore, higher body fat percentage and higher HDL-cholesterol level were associated with a slower rate of shortening in LTL (P < 0.05). Lower blood pressure levels were also associated with slower rate of telomere shortening in men (P < 0.05). No similar associations were observed among women.


CONCLUSIONS
A decrease in adiposity was associated with telomere shortening, and higher body fat percentage and HDL-cholesterol were associated with a slower rate of shortening in telomere length in men.
a Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council (CNR) , Pisa , Italy.
Maria Angela
MA
Guzzardi
a Institute of Clinical Physiology, National Research Council (CNR) , Pisa , Italy.
Patricia
P
Iozzo
b National Institute for Health and Welfare , Department of Chronic Disease Prevention , Helsinki , Finland.|c Folkhälsan Research Centre , Helsinki , Finland.
Minna
M
Salonen
b National Institute for Health and Welfare , Department of Chronic Disease Prevention , Helsinki , Finland.|d Hospital for Children and Adolescents, Helsinki University Central Hospital and University of Helsinki , Helsinki , Finland.
Eero
E
Kajantie
b National Institute for Health and Welfare , Department of Chronic Disease Prevention , Helsinki , Finland.|c Folkhälsan Research Centre , Helsinki , Finland.|e University of Helsinki , Department of General Practice and Primary Health Care, and Helsinki University Hospital , Helsinki , Finland.
Johan G
JG
Eriksson
D050154:Adiposity / Q000235:genetics; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D012307:Risk Factors; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D059505:Telomere Homeostasis; D059506:Telomere Shortening; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides
Adiposity; ageing; blood pressure; dyslipidaemia; telomere shortening