Food Safety and Health Research Center, School of Public Health, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510515, China.
Division of Emergency Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China; NHC Key Laboratory on Assisted Circulation, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510080, China.
J Nutr. 2024 Oct;154(10):3060-3069. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2024.05.001. Epub 2024 May 11.
This study aimed to investigate the association between consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and leucocyte telomere length (LTL).
This cross-sectional study utilized data from the UK Biobank, including a total of 64,690 participants. LTL was measured using Q-PCR with natural logarithmic conversion and Z-score normalization. Dietary data were collected through a 24-hour recall questionnaire from 2009 to 2010. UPFs were identified using the Nova food classification and analyzed as either a continuous or categorical variable respectively. Multiple linear regression models were employed to analyze the association between UPF consumption and LTL.
The included participants had an average age of 56.26 years, of whom 55.2% were female. After adjusting for sociodemographic, lifestyle-related and anthropometric variables, LTL exhibited a decrease of 0.005 (95% CI: -0.007, -0.002) with one UPF serving/day increase. Compared to participants consuming ≤ 3.5 servings/day, those consuming 3.5 to < 6, 6 to ≤ 8 and > 8 servings/day showed a shortening of LTL by 0.025 (95% CI: -0.047, -0.004), 0.034 (95% CI: -0.055, -0.012) and 0.038 (95% CI: -0.062, -0.015), respectively (P for trend = 0.001). Subgroup analyses by UPF subclasses revealed that consumption of ready-to-eat/heated food (β = -0.008, 95% CI: -0.014, -0.002), beans and potatoes (β = -0.024, 95% CI: -0.039, -0.009), animal-based products (β = -0.011, 95% CI: -0.019, -0.004), artificial sugar (β = -0.014, 95% CI: -0.025, -0.004), and beverages (β = -0.005, 95% CI: -0.009, -0.001) showed negative associations with LTL. Conversely, breakfast cereals (β = 0.020, 95% CI: 0.004, 0.036) and vegetarian alternatives (β = 0.057, 95% CI: 0.027, 0.086) showed positive correlations with LTL.
Our study found that a higher consumption of total UPFs was associated with a shorter LTL. However, some subclass UPFs may be associated with longer LTL, depending on their nutritional composition.
本研究旨在探讨超加工食品（UPF）消费与白细胞端粒长度（LTL）之间的关联。
本横断面研究利用了英国生物银行的数据，共纳入了 64690 名参与者。LTL 采用实时聚合酶链反应（Q-PCR）法测量，并用自然对数转换和 Z 分数标准化。饮食数据通过 2009 年至 2010 年的 24 小时回顾性问卷调查收集。UPF 使用 Nova 食品分类法进行识别，并分别作为连续或分类变量进行分析。采用多元线性回归模型分析 UPF 消费与 LTL 之间的关联。
纳入的参与者平均年龄为 56.26 岁，其中 55.2%为女性。在调整了社会人口统计学、生活方式相关和人体测量学变量后，与每天摄入 1 份 UPF 相比，每天摄入 UPF 增加 1 份时 LTL 缩短 0.005（95%置信区间：-0.007，-0.002）。与每天摄入≤3.5 份 UPF 的参与者相比，每天摄入 3.5 至<6、6 至≤8 和>8 份 UPF 的参与者的 LTL 分别缩短 0.025（95%置信区间：-0.047，-0.004）、0.034（95%置信区间：-0.055，-0.012）和 0.038（95%置信区间：-0.062，-0.015）（趋势检验 P = 0.001）。UPF 亚类的亚组分析显示，即食/加热食品（β=-0.008，95%置信区间：-0.014，-0.002）、豆类和土豆（β=-0.024，95%置信区间：-0.039，-0.009）、动物源产品（β=-0.011，95%置信区间：-0.019，-0.004）、人工糖（β=-0.014，95%置信区间：-0.025，-0.004）和饮料（β=-0.005，95%置信区间：-0.009，-0.001）与 LTL 呈负相关。相反，早餐麦片（β=0.020，95%置信区间：0.004，0.036）和素食替代品（β=0.057，95%置信区间：0.027，0.086）与 LTL 呈正相关。
本研究发现，UPF 的总摄入量与 LTL 缩短有关。然而，一些 UPF 亚类可能与较长的 LTL 有关，这取决于它们的营养成分。
