Determinants of telomere attrition over 1 year in healthy older women: stress and health behaviors matter.

ABSTRACT: Telomere length, a reliable predictor of disease pathogenesis, can be affected by genetics, chronic stress and health behaviors. Cross-sectionally, highly stressed postmenopausal women have shorter telomeres, but only if they are inactive. However, no studies have prospectively examined telomere length change over a short period, and if rate of attrition is affected by naturalistic factors such as stress and engagement in healthy behaviors, including diet, exercise, and sleep. Here we followed healthy women over 1 year to test if major stressors that occurred over the year predicted telomere shortening, and whether engaging in healthy behaviors during this period mitigates this effect. In 239 postmenopausal, non-smoking, disease-free women, accumulation of major life stressors across a 1-y

SUBMITTER: Puterman E 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4310821 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature