title: Body mass index and leukocyte telomere length dynamics among older adults: Results from the ESTHER cohort.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Telomere length (TL) has been proposed as a biomarker of ageing, which might be used to identify individuals at higher risk of age-related diseases. Obesity is a well-known risk factor for several diseases. This study aims to analyse the associations of BMI with TL and the rate of TL change in older adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Leukocyte TL (LTL) was measured by quantitative PCR in blood samples of 3600 older adults aged 50-75 years obtained at the baseline examination of a population-based cohort study in Germany. For longitudinal analyses, measurements were repeated in blood samples obtained at 8-year follow-up from 1000 participants. Multivariate linear regression models were used to estimate associations of BMI with LTL and changes in LTL over time.
  
  
  RESULTS
  LTL was inversely associated with age (r = -0.090, p < 0.0001). BMI and LTL associations varied according to age (p for interaction = 0.021). BMI was significantly inversely associated with LTL in those younger than 60 years (-6 basepairs per 1 kg/m(2) difference in BMI). In particular, weight gain during adulthood was inversely associated with LTL in a dose-response manner in this age group, with those having gained ≥ 30 kg having significantly shorter telomeres (-209 basepairs) than those who maintained their weight. No clear patterns were observed between any of BMI-related variables and the rate of LTL change.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our cross-sectional analysis supports suggestions that weight gain during adulthood and obesity may contribute to shorter telomere length below 60 years of age, but this relationship could not be shown longitudinally.
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Network Aging Research (NAR), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Aysel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Müezzinler
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany. Electronic address: u.mons@dkfz.de.
authors.forename: Ute
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Mons
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Aida Karina
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Dieffenbach
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Butterbach
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Kai-Uwe
authors.initials: KU
authors.lastname: Saum
authors.affiliation: Genomics and Proteomics Core Facility, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schick
authors.affiliation: Division of Genetics of Skin Carcinogenesis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stammer
authors.affiliation: Division of Genetics of Skin Carcinogenesis, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boukamp
authors.affiliation: Saarland Cancer Registry, Saarbrücken, Germany.
authors.forename: Bernd
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Holleczek
authors.affiliation: Saarland Cancer Registry, Saarbrücken, Germany.
authors.forename: Christa
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stegmaier
authors.affiliation: Division of Clinical Epidemiology and Aging Research, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany; Network Aging Research (NAR), University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Hermann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Brenner
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood / Q000235:genetics*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012307:Risk Factors; D016615:Telomere / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D059506:Telomere Shortening; D013997:Time Factors; D015430:Weight Gain
keywords: Adiposity; Ageing; BMI; ESTHER; Obesity; Telomere length