Telomere length and obesity

• Published in: Acta Paediatrica Vol. 97; no. 7; pp. 952 - 954
• Main Authors: Zannolli, Raffaella, Mohn, Angelika, Buoni, Sabrina, Pietrobelli, Angelo, Messina, Mario, Chiarelli, Francesco, Miracco, Clelia
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.07.2008; Blackwell
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Ageing; Age‐dependency; All child; Biological and medical sciences; Body Mass Index; Child; Child, Preschool; Chronic disease; General aspects; Humans; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Middle Aged; Obese children; Obesity; Obesity - genetics; Telomere - genetics; Telomere - pathology; Human; Obesity; Pediatrics; Senescence; All child; Chronic disease; Obese children; Ageing; Nutrition disorder; Telomere; Chronic; Length; Dependence; Age-dependency; Child; Age; Nutritional status
• ISSN: 0803-5253; 1651-2227
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.2008.00783.x

Aim: To assess the telomere length in apparently healthy obese and normal‐weight subjects. Methods: Seventy‐six Caucasian subjects were chosen including 53 children (age 8.2 ± 3.5 years) and 23 adults (age 40.5 ± 8.4 years). Among these, 22 (12 children and 10 adults) were obese with a body mass index (BMI, kg/m2) > 2 SD above the norm. Bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), measured with a multiple frequency analyzer, was used to estimate body composition. DNA extraction from white blood cells was used to estimate the telomere length by detection of terminal restriction fragments (TRF). Results: No difference was found between the TRF lengths of obese and normal children. Obese adults had shorter TRF lengths than adults who were not obese (mean TRF length difference, −884.5; 95% confidence intervals −1727 to −41.8; t= 2.183; df = 17; p < 0.041). Conclusions: Obese adults have shorter telomeres than their normal‐weight counterparts, while this phenomenon is not present in childhood.