Modifiable traits, healthy behaviours, and leukocyte telomere length: a population-based study in UK Biobank.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Telomere length is associated with risk of several age-related diseases and cancers. We aimed to investigate the extent to which telomere length might be modifiable through lifestyle and behaviour, and whether such modification has any clinical consequences.

Methods

In this population-based study, we included participants from UK Biobank who had leukocyte telomere length (LTL) measurement, ethnicity, and white blood cell count data. We investigated associations of LTL with 117 potentially modifiable traits, as well as two indices of healthy behaviours incorporating between them smoking, physical activity, diet, maintenance of a healthy bodyweight, and alcohol intake, using both available and imputed data. To help interpretation, associations were summarised as the

SUBMITTER: Bountziouka V 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9068584 | biostudies-literature | 2022 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature