Author: García-Calzón S1, Moleres A1, Martínez-González MA2, Martínez JA3, Zalba G4, Marti A5; GENOI members.
Affiliation: 1Department of Nutrition, Food Science and Physiology, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain. 2Department 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. 3Department 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. 4Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain. 5Department 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.
Conference/Journal: Clin Nutr.
Date published: 2014 Aug 4
Other:
Pages: S0261-5614(14)00191-5 , Special Notes: doi: 10.1016/j.clnu.2014.07.015 , Word Count: 233
BACKGROUND & AIMS:
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).
CONCLUSION:
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.
Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
KEYWORDS:
Antioxidants; Diet; Oxidative stress; Telomeres; Young population
PMID: 25131600