title: Epigenetic clock analysis of diet, exercise, education, and lifestyle factors.
abstract: Behavioral and lifestyle factors have been shown to relate to a number of health-related outcomes, yet there is a need for studies that examine their relationship to molecular aging rates. Toward this end, we use recent epigenetic biomarkers of age that have previously been shown to predict all-cause mortality, chronic conditions, and age-related functional decline. We analyze cross-sectional data from 4,173 postmenopausal female participants from the Women's Health Initiative, as well as 402 male and female participants from the Italian cohort study, Invecchiare nel Chianti.Extrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (EEAA) exhibits significant associations with fish intake (p=0.02), moderate alcohol consumption (p=0.01), education (p=3x10-5), BMI (p=0.01), and blood carotenoid levels (p=1x10-5)-an indicator of fruit and vegetable consumption, whereas intrinsic epigenetic age acceleration (IEAA) is associated with poultry intake (p=0.03) and BMI (p=0.05). Both EEAA and IEAA were also found to relate to indicators of metabolic syndrome, which appear to mediate their associations with BMI. Metformin-the first-line medication for the treatment of type 2 diabetes-does not delay epigenetic aging in this observational study. Finally, longitudinal data suggests that an increase in BMI is associated with increase in both EEAA and IEAA.Overall, the epigenetic age analysis of blood confirms the conventional wisdom regarding the benefits of eating a high plant diet with lean meats, moderate alcohol consumption, physical activity, and education, as well as the health risks of obesity and metabolic syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Austin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Quach
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Morgan E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Levine
authors.affiliation: Longitudinal Studies Section, Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, USA. Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
authors.forename: Toshiko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tanaka
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Ake T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Longitudinal Studies Section, Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, USA. Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
authors.forename: Brian H
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Longitudinal Studies Section, Translational Gerontology Branch, National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health, USA. Baltimore, MD 21224, USA.
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ferrucci
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, UCLA School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.|Department of Epidemiology, UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Beate
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ritz
authors.affiliation: Geriatric Unit, Azienda Sanitaria Firenze (ASF), Florence, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bandinelli
authors.affiliation: Cancer Prevention Program, Division of Public Health Sciences, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA 98109-1024, USA.
authors.forename: Marian L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Neuhouser
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, New York University, New York, NY 10016, USA.
authors.forename: Jeannette M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Beasley
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, 145 N. Riverside Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Snetselaar
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Iowa, 145 N. Riverside Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
authors.forename: Robert B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Wallace
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.|VA Palo Alto Health Care System, Palo Alto CA 94304, USA.
authors.forename: Philip S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Tsao
authors.affiliation: HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, Huntsville, AL 35806, USA.
authors.forename: Devin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Absher
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
authors.forename: Themistocles L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Assimes
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors.forename: James D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.|Department. of Biostatistics, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University Chicago, IL 60611, USA.|Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University Chicago, IL 60611, USA.
authors.forename: Lifang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Hou
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Environmental Epigenetics, Departments of Environmental Health Sciences Epidemiology, Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health, New York, NY 10032, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Baccarelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.|Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA.
authors.forename: Eric A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Whitsel
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Genetics, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.|Department of Biostatistics, Fielding School of Public Health, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horvath
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004522:Educational Status; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008875:Middle Aged
keywords: DNA methylation; aging; alcohol intake; diet; epigenetic clock; fish intake; lifestyle