Lifespan Health Research Center, Wright State University, Dayton, Ohio 45420, USA.
Am J Hum Biol. 2011 Jan-Feb;23(1):100-6. doi: 10.1002/ajhb.21109.
To assess the relationship between telomere length and adiposity, using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in addition to conventional anthropometric proxies including body mass index (BMI) and cardiovascular disease risk factors.
A cross-sectional sample of 309 non-Hispanic white participants in the Fels Longitudinal Study aged 8 to 80 yr (52% female) was included. Average telomere length was measured by quantitative PCR.
Telomere length was negatively correlated with age (r = -0.32, P < 0.0001) and had numerous significant correlations with established cardiovascular disease risk factors including waist circumference (r = -0.33), apolipoprotein B (r = -0.26), systolic blood pressure (r = -0.28), and fasting serum glucose (r = -0.15); all P < 0.0025. In backward selection linear regression models of telomere length, adiposity measures were consistently retained in the best models; BMI, waist circumference, hip circumference, total body fat, and visceral adipose tissue volume were all inversely associated with telomere length at the nominal P < 0.05 level or lower, independent of age, sex, systolic blood pressure, and fasting serum lipid, lipoprotein, and glucose concentrations. The negative association of BMI with telomere length was stronger among younger than older participants (P for interaction, 0.03).
Individuals with higher total and abdominal adiposity have lower telomere length, a marker of cellular senescence, suggesting obesity may hasten the aging process. Longitudinal studies are required to establish the causal association of early life adiposity with biological aging.
利用双能 X 射线吸收法（DXA）和磁共振成像（MRI）评估端粒长度与肥胖的关系，以及传统的人体测量学指标，包括体重指数（BMI）和心血管疾病风险因素。
纳入 Fels 纵向研究中 309 名非西班牙裔白人参与者的横断面样本，年龄 8 至 80 岁（52%为女性）。采用定量 PCR 法测量平均端粒长度。
端粒长度与年龄呈负相关（r = -0.32，P < 0.0001），与已确立的心血管疾病风险因素有许多显著相关性，包括腰围（r = -0.33）、载脂蛋白 B（r = -0.26）、收缩压（r = -0.28）和空腹血清葡萄糖（r = -0.15）；所有 P 值均<0.0025。在端粒长度的向后选择线性回归模型中，肥胖指标始终保留在最佳模型中；BMI、腰围、臀围、总体脂肪量和内脏脂肪组织体积均与端粒长度呈负相关，在名义 P<0.05 水平或更低水平上，与年龄、性别、收缩压和空腹血脂、脂蛋白和血糖浓度独立相关。BMI 与端粒长度的负相关性在较年轻的参与者中强于较年长的参与者（P 交互作用=0.03）。
总脂肪量和腹部脂肪量较高的个体端粒长度较短，这是细胞衰老的标志物，表明肥胖可能加速衰老过程。需要进行纵向研究以确定早期肥胖与生物衰老之间的因果关系。
