Higher pack-years of smoking, BMI, and blood pressure increased the odds of shifting to an accelerated pace of biological ageing, whereas higher adapted Life's Simple 7 scores were associated with decelerated ageing.
Cohort (n=4,848)
Yes
Do cardiovascular risk factors influence the pace of biological ageing in midlife and older adults?
Targeting modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, such as smoking, physical inactivity, and poor cardiometabolic health, may help slow biological ageing in midlife and older adults.
p-value: p=<0.05
BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular (CV) health-related risk factors may influence the epigenetic-based pace of biological ageing (BA). However, given that early-life lifestyle factors can have lasting effects on DNA methylation (DNAm), observed associations may reflect cumulative exposures rather than short-term changes in older adults. We investigated whether CV risk factors are associated with changes in the pace of ageing in midlife and older adults. METHODS: -year follow-ups. FINDINGS: Across cohorts, >55% were female. Mean (SD) age ranged from 40.3 (3.6) in CARDIA to 76.3 (5.2) in AGES-RS. DDPACE also varied: 0.92 (0.13) in CARDIA vs. 1.10 (0.11) in AGES-RS. Within 5-year follow-up, smoking (current and former), pack-years of smoking, BMI, and blood glucose level were longitudinally associated with faster ageing (higher DDPACE; P < 0.05 (two-sided, linear mixed modeling)) in each cohort and in the meta-analyses. PA, diet, and higher adapted-LS7 scores were linked to slower ageing. Delta analyses confirmed consistent associations in AGES-RS, CARDIA, and the meta-analysis. In the meta-analysis of the 5-year shift model, higher pack-years, BMI, SBP, and DBP increased odds of being in the "accelerator" group compared to a "decelerator" (P < 0.05 (two-sided, logistic regression)), while higher adapted-LS7 scores increased odds of being a "decelerator" (P < 0.05 (two-sided, logistic regression)). Midlife prospective analysis in AGES-RS (∼age 50) showed similar patterns. Longer-term follow-ups (9+ years) in CARDIA and InCHIANTI showed similar but less consistent findings with the 5-year follow-up. INTERPRETATION: Targeting modifiable CV risk factors, particularly smoking, physical inactivity, and poor cardiometabolic health, may help slow ageing and reduce age-related disease burden in midlife and older adults. FUNDING: National Institute on Aging, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, Icelandic Heart Association, and Italian Ministry of Health.
Asefa et al. (Thu,) conducted a cohort in Biological ageing (n=4,848). Cardiovascular risk factors (including smoking, BMI, blood pressure, and adapted-LS7 score) vs. Favorable cardiovascular health profiles was evaluated on Change in the pace of biological ageing (DunedinPACE) and shift to accelerated vs. decelerated ageing (p=<0.05). Higher pack-years of smoking, BMI, and blood pressure increased the odds of shifting to an accelerated pace of biological ageing, whereas higher adapted Life's Simple 7 scores were associated with decelerated ageing.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: