Body mass index is negatively associated with telomere length: a collaborative cross-sectional meta-analysis of 87 observational studies.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Even before the onset of age-related diseases, obesity might be a contributing factor to the cumulative burden of oxidative stress and chronic inflammation throughout the life course. Obesity may therefore contribute to accelerated shortening of telomeres. Consequently, obese persons are more likely to have shorter telomeres, but the association between body mass index (BMI) and leukocyte telomere length (TL) might differ across the life span and between ethnicities and sexes.

Objective

A collaborative cross-sectional meta-analysis of observational studies was conducted to investigate the associations between BMI and TL across the life span.

Design

Eighty-seven distinct study samples were included in the meta-analysis capturing data from 146,114 individuals

SUBMITTER: Gielen M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6454526 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature