Effects of Randomized Controlled Infancy-Onset Dietary Intervention on Leukocyte Telomere Length-The Special Turku...

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Pediatric Health
• Molecular Biology

Background:

• Reduced telomere length (TL) is a key biomarker for biological aging.
• Significant variation in TL exists in childhood, influenced by genetics and lifestyle.
• Longitudinal studies are needed to understand early life interventions' impact on TL attrition.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the long-term effects of a dietary/lifestyle intervention on telomere length (TL) attrition.
• To assess TL changes from childhood to early adulthood in participants of the Special Turku Coronary Risk Factor Intervention Project (STRIP).

Main Methods:

• A 20-year randomized controlled trial (STRIP) involving healthy infants.
• Intervention group received dietary counseling focused on fat quality; control group received standard care.
• Leukocyte TL measured at ages 7.5 and 19.8 years using Southern blot; yearly attrition rate calculated.

Main Results:

• The intervention group exhibited a significantly slower yearly TL attrition rate compared to the control group (p=0.040).
• This effect was more pronounced after adjusting for various lifestyle and health factors (p=0.009).
• The intervention group's mean yearly TL attrition was -7.5 bp/year versus -15.0 bp/year in controls.

Conclusions:

• A long-term dietary intervention, particularly emphasizing fat quality, can mitigate telomere length attrition in children and adolescents.
• Early life lifestyle interventions may play a crucial role in influencing biological aging processes.
• Findings support the importance of early nutritional guidance for long-term health outcomes.