Early life adiposity and telomere length across the life course: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Association between Telomere Length and Pediatric Obesity: A Systematic Review

Objective: Telomere length (TL) is a robust marker of biological aging, and increased telomere attrition is noted in adults with obesity. The primary objective of this systematic review was to summarize current knowledge on the effects of childhood obesity in TL. The secondary objective was to assess the effect of weight management interventions in TL. Methods: The following databases were searched: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Heal-link.gr from inception to September 2021. The search was performed using the following combinations of terms: “telomer*” [All Fields] AND (“length” [All Fields] OR “lengths” [All Fields]) AND “obes*” [All Fields] AND (“child*” [All Fields] OR “adolescen*” [All Fields]). Results: A total of 16 original articles were included in this systematic review. Eleven of them were cross-sectional and five were lifestyle interventions. Conclusions: There was a tendency towards a negative association between childhood obesity and TL. Life-style interventions in children have been associated with increased TL peripherally, indicating a possible association of the redistribution of younger cells in the periphery with the favorable effect of these interventions. Further prospective studies with larger sample sizes that employ other markers of cell aging would potentially elucidate this important mechanistic relation.

Obesity at Age 6 Months Is Associated with Shorter Preschool Leukocyte Telomere Length Independent of Parental Telomere Length

OBJECTIVE

To assess whether early modifiable dietary factors and obesity measures are associated with leukocyte telomere length at 3-5 years of age after controlling for the heritability of leukocyte telomere length in a prospective cohort of low-income Latina mothers and their children in San Francisco.

STUDY DESIGN

We analyzed data from the Latinx, Eating and Diabetes cohort, a prospective study of 97 woman-infant dyads. We used linear regression models to evaluate associations between early dietary factors and obesity measures and child leukocyte telomere length at 3-5 years of age. Multivariable models included child age at the time of telomere collection, breastfeeding at 6 months (yes/no), obesity at 6 months, maternal education, child sex, and maternal and paternal leukocyte telomere length.

RESULTS

Data for 73 of the 97 children at 3-5 years of age were analyzed. Any breastfeeding at 6 months was positively associated (β = 0.14; P = .02) and obesity at 6 months was negatively associated (β = -0.21; P < .001) with leukocyte telomere length in bivariate analyses. In multivariable models including parental leukocyte telomere length, obesity at 6 months was associated with a shorter leukocyte telomere length at 3-5 years of age (β = -0.15; P = .02). Analyses of dietary factors showed high flavored milk consumption at 3 years of age was associated with shorter leukocyte telomere length after adjustment for possible confounders.

CONCLUSIONS

In a low-income Latinx population, obesity at 6 months of age is negatively associated with cellular health at 3-5 years of age after controlling for genetic factors (parental leukocyte telomere length) associated with leukocyte telomere length. Early life obesity may be more deleterious for cellular health than obesity later in childhood.

Associations of telomere length with anthropometric and glucose changes after a lifestyle intervention in abdominal obese children

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

In lifestyle intervention studies, we demonstrated that changes in telomere length (TL) were associated with changes in anthropometric indices. Therefore, our new hypothesis is that TL could be a predictor of changes in anthropometric or metabolic measures in children with abdominal obesity. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between anthropometric and biochemical measurements with TL before and after an 8-week lifestyle intervention in children with abdominal obesity (7-16 years old).

METHODS AND RESULTS

We assessed anthropometric and biochemical outcomes at baseline and after 8-week lifestyle intervention in 106 children with abdominal obesity (11.30 ± 2.49 years old, 63% girls). TL was measured by monochrome multiplex real-time quantitative PCR. After the lifestyle intervention, anthropometric parameters and glucose metabolism indicators significantly improved in the participants. TL did not change after the intervention in participants. Significant negative correlations between baseline TL and anthropometric measures (BMI, body weight and waist circumference) were observed. Furthermore, baseline TL was a predictor for changes in blood glucose levels after the lifestyle intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

An inverse correlation between TL and obesity traits was observed in children with abdominal obesity. Interestingly, we found that baseline TL could predict changes in blood glucose levels.

CLINICAL TRIAL

NCT03147261. Registered 10 May 2017.