Zhang Bao, Huang Yong, Li Xiude
Department of Clinical Nutrition, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China.
Department of Children's Health, Anhui Women and Children's Medical Center, Hefei 230001, China.
Nutr Res Pract. 2025 Aug;19(4):621-634. doi: 10.4162/nrp.2025.19.4.621. Epub 2025 Jul 30.
BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Telomere length is influenced by inflammation, insulin resistance, and hyperinsulinemia, which can be modulated by dietary factors. Nevertheless, it is still uncertain if diets with greater insulinemic or inflammatory potential are linked to shorter telomere length.
SUBJECTS/METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed the data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the US. A total of 6,981 individuals were included, with an average age of 46.87 ± 0.36 yrs, and a female-to-male ratio of 1.12:1. Diet was obtained using 24-h recall. Three empirical dietary indices were developed, including the Empirical Dietary Inflammatory Pattern (EDIP), which identifies foods predictive of inflammation markers such as C-reactive protein and leukocyte count; the Empirical Dietary Index for Insulin Resistance (EDIR), which assesses insulin resistance via homeostatic model assessment; and the Empirical Dietary Index for Hyperinsulinemia (EDIH), which relates to hyperinsulinemia indicators including insulin and C-peptide. Relative telomere length (RTL) was measured by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Percentage change (%), odds ratio (OR), and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were evaluated using linear and ordinal logistic regression, respectively.
EDIR (per 1 - SD increase, percentage change = -0.99%, 95% CI, -1.83%, -0.15%, = 0.022; OR, 1.08, 95% CI, 1.01, 1.16, = 0.018) and EDIH (percentage change = -1.03%, 95% CI, -1.94%, -0.11%, = 0.030; OR, 1.07, 95% CI, 1.00, 1.15, = 0.047) were associated with shorter RTL. EDIP showed a negative association with telomeres in ordinal logistic regression (OR, 1.07, 95% CI, 1.00, 1.15, = 0.038), and this inverse association was more pronounced among participants with a light or vigorous activity in both regression ( = 0.003; < 0.001).
Diets high in inflammation or insulinemic potential are associated with shorter RTL. The impact of EDIP is greater in individuals engaged in light or vigorous activity.
背景/目的：端粒长度受炎症、胰岛素抵抗和高胰岛素血症影响，而这些可通过饮食因素进行调节。然而，具有更高胰岛素生成或炎症潜能的饮食是否与较短的端粒长度相关仍不确定。
对象/方法：这项横断面研究分析了美国国家健康与营养检查调查的数据。共纳入6981人，平均年龄为46.87±0.36岁，男女比例为1.12:1。饮食情况通过24小时回忆法获取。制定了三个经验性饮食指数，包括经验性饮食炎症模式（EDIP），该指数可识别预测炎症标志物（如C反应蛋白和白细胞计数）的食物；经验性胰岛素抵抗饮食指数（EDIR），该指数通过稳态模型评估来评估胰岛素抵抗；以及经验性高胰岛素血症饮食指数（EDIH），该指数与包括胰岛素和C肽在内的高胰岛素血症指标相关。通过定量聚合酶链反应测量相对端粒长度（RTL）。分别使用线性和有序逻辑回归评估百分比变化（%）、优势比（OR）及其95%置信区间（CI）。
EDIR（每增加1个标准差，百分比变化=-0.99%，95%CI，-1.83%，-0.15%，P=0.022；OR，1.08，95%CI，1.01，1.16，P=0.018）和EDIH（百分比变化=-1.03%，95%CI，-1.94%，-0.11%，P=0.030；OR，1.07，95%CI，1.00，1.15，P=0.047）与较短的RTL相关。在有序逻辑回归中，EDIP与端粒呈负相关（OR，1.07，95%CI，1.00，1.15，P=0.038），并且在两种回归中，这种负相关在轻度或剧烈活动的参与者中更为明显（P=0.003；P<0.001）。
具有高炎症或胰岛素生成潜能的饮食与较短的RTL相关。EDIP对从事轻度或剧烈活动的个体影响更大。
