title: Consumption of Nuts and Seeds and Telomere Length in 5,582 Men and Women of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).
abstract: Consumption of nuts and seeds is associated favorably with all-cause mortality. Nuts and seeds could reduce disease and prolong life by influencing telomeres. Telomere length is a good indicator of the senescence of cells. The purpose of the present study was to determine the relationship between nuts and seeds intake and leukocyte telomere length, a biomarker of biologic aging.
  
  
  
  Cross-sectional.
  
  
  
  A total of 5,582 randomly selected men and women from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 1999-2002, were studied.
  
  
  
  DNA was obtained via blood samples. Telomere length was assessed using the quantitative polymerase chain reaction method. A validated, multi-pass, 24-h recall dietary assessment, administered by NHANES, was employed to quantify consumption of nuts and seeds.
  
  
  
  Nuts and seeds intake was positively and linearly associated with telomere length. For each 1-percent of total energy derived from nuts and seeds, telomere length was 5 base pairs longer (F=8.6, P=0.0065). Given the age-related rate of telomere shortening was 15.4 base pairs per year (F=581.1, P<0.0001), adults of the same age had more than 1.5 years of reduced cell aging if they consumed 5% of their total energy from nuts and seeds.
  
  
  
  Consumption of nuts and seeds accounts for meaningful decreases in biologic aging and cell senescence. The findings reinforce the recommendations of the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, which encourage the consumption of nuts and seeds as part of a healthy diet.
authors.affiliation: Larry A. Tucker, Ph.D. 106 SFH, College of Life Sciences, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah 84602, Phone: 801-422-4927, Email: tucker@byu.edu.
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Tucker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D016922:Cellular Senescence / Q000502:physiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009749:Nutrition Surveys / Q000379:methods*; D009754:Nuts; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction; D012639:Seeds; D016615:Telomere / Q000502:physiology; D059506:Telomere Shortening / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers
keywords: Cell aging; DNA; NHANES; dietary fat; nuts