Adiposity and Leukocyte Telomere Length in US Adults by Sex-Specific Race/Ethnicity: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

OBJECTIVE

Little is known about the relationship between adiposity and telomere length in the United States population. The objective of our research was to examine this relationship in a representative, socioeconomically and sex-specific, diverse racial/ethnic population in the United States.

METHODS

Body mass index (BMI), % total body fat (TBF) and waist circumference (WC) with leukocyte telomere length (LTL) were examined according to sex-specific race/ethnicity using separate adjusted multivariate linear regressions on a sample of 4,919 respondents aged 20-84 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey's 1999-2002 data.

RESULTS

LTL was shortened .41%, .44%, and .16% in African American (AA) women and was associated with increasing BMI, %TBF, and WC, (:-.0041, 95%CI: -.0070, -.0012; P=.007; :-.0044, 95% CI: -.0081, -.0007; P=.02; :-.0016, 95%CI: -.0031, -.0001; P=.04, respectively). LTL was shortened .29% in White women and was associated with increasing %TBF (:-.0029, 95%CI: -.0048, -.0009; P=.006). There were no associations among AA men, White men or Mexican American men and women.

CONCLUSIONS

LTL is associated with an obesity phenotype in AA women. Tailored intervention is needed to ameliorate the burden of excess adiposity and subsequent cellular aging.