AUTHOR=Wang Jiang , Xie Fayi , Zhu Wan , Ye Dongmei , Xiao Yi , Shi Mengxia , Zeng Rui , Bian Jiahui , Xu Xiao , Chen Lihuan , Zhu Aizhang , Zhu Ke , Fan Tenghui , Liu Bin , Xiao Liyan , Zhang Xiaoming 

TITLE=Relationship between serum carotenoids and telomere length in overweight or obese individuals

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition

VOLUME=11

YEAR=2024

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1479994

DOI=10.3389/fnut.2024.1479994

ISSN=2296-861X

ABSTRACT=<sec id="sec1"><title>Background</title><p>Previous researches have demonstrated an association between carotenoids and elongated telomeres. Nonetheless, there is scant scientific evidence examining this relationship in individuals who are overweight or obese, a demographic more predisposed to accelerated aging. This study aims to elucidate the correlation between serum carotenoid concentrations and telomere length within this population group.</p></sec><sec id="sec2"><title>Methods</title><p>Data were sourced from the 2001–2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, encompassing 2,353 overweight or obese participants. The levels of <italic>α</italic>-carotene, <italic>β</italic>-carotene (both trans and cis isomers), <italic>β</italic>-cryptoxanthin, lutein/zeaxanthin, and trans-lycopene were quantified via high-performance liquid chromatography. Telomere length was assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction.</p></sec><sec id="sec3"><title>Results</title><p>Following adjustment for potential confounders, telomere length exhibited an increase of 1.83 base pairs (bp) per unit elevation in <italic>β</italic>-carotene levels (<italic>β</italic> = 1.83; 95% CI: 0.48, 3.18). Within the fully adjusted model, telomere length incremented by 1.7 bp per unit increase in serum <italic>β</italic>-carotene among overweight individuals (<italic>β</italic> = 1.7; 95% CI: 0.1, 3.3), and by 2.6 bp per unit increase among obese individuals (<italic>β</italic> = 2.6; 95% CI: 0.1, 5.0). Furthermore, restricted cubic spline analysis revealed a linear relationship between <italic>β</italic>-carotene levels and telomere length, whereas a non-linear association was observed between <italic>β</italic>-cryptoxanthin levels and telomere length.</p></sec><sec id="sec4"><title>Conclusion</title><p>This investigation indicates that higher serum <italic>β</italic>-carotene concentrations are linked with extended telomere length in overweight and obese populations in the United States. These findings warrant further validation through prospective studies.</p></sec>