Body mass index and leukocyte telomere length dynamics among older adults: Results from the ESTHER cohort

Objective: Telomere length (TL) has been proposed as a biomarker of ageing, whichmight be used to identify individuals at higher risk of age-related diseases. Obesity is a well-known risk factor for several diseases. This study aims to analyse the associations of BMI with TL and the rate of TL change in older adults. Methods: Leukocyte TL (LTL) was measured by quantitative PCR in blood samples of 3600 older adults aged 5075 years obtained at the baseline examination of a population-based cohort study in Germany. For longitudinal analyses, measurements were repeated in blood samples obtained at 8-year follow-up from 1000 participants. Multivariate linear regression models were used to estimate associations of BMI with LTL and changes in LTL over time. Results: LTL was inversely associated with age (r = -0.090, p < 0.0001). BMI and LTL associations varied according to age (p for interaction = 0.021). BMI was significantly inversely associated with LTL in those younger than 60 years (-6 base pairs per 1 kg/m2 difference in BMI). In particular, weight gain during adulthood was inversely associated with LTL in a dose-response manner in this age group, with those having gained = 30 kg having significantly shorter telomeres (-209 base pairs) than those who maintained their weight. No clear patterns were observed between any of BMI-related variables and the rate of LTL change. Conclusions: Our cross-sectional analysis supports suggestions that weight gain during adulthood and obesity may contribute to shorter telomere length below 60 years of age, but this relationship could not be shown longitudinally.