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Meta-Analysis
. 2020 Feb 14;75(3):481-494.
doi: 10.1093/gerona/glz099.

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Environmental, Lifestyle, and Health Factors Associated With DNA Methylation Age

Joanne Ryan  1   2 , Jo Wrigglesworth  1 , Jun Loong  1 , Peter D Fransquet  1 , Robyn L Woods  1
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Environmental, Lifestyle, and Health Factors Associated With DNA Methylation Age

Joanne Ryan et al. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. .

Abstract

DNA methylation (DNAm) algorithms of biological age provide a robust estimate of an individual's chronological age and can predict their risk of age-related disease and mortality. This study reviewed the evidence that environmental, lifestyle and health factors are associated with the Horvath and Hannum epigenetic clocks. A systematic search identified 61 studies. Chronological age was correlated with DNAm age in blood (median .83, range .13-.99). In a meta-analysis body mass index (BMI) was associated with increased DNAm age (Hannum β: 0.07, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.10; Horvath β: 0.06, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.10), but there was no association with smoking (Hannum β: 0.12, 95% CI -0.50 to 0.73; Horvath β:0.18, 95% CI -0.10 to 0.46). DNAm age was positively associated with frailty (three studies, n = 3,093), and education was negatively associated with the Hannum estimate of DNAm age specifically (four studies, n = 13,955). For most other exposures, findings were too inconsistent to draw conclusions. In conclusion, BMI was positively associated with biological aging measured using DNAm, with some evidence that frailty also increased aging. More research is needed to provide conclusive evidence regarding other exposures. This field of research has the potential to provide further insights into how to promote slower biological aging and ultimately prolong healthy life.

Keywords: BMI; Biomarker; Epigenetic clock; Epigenetics; Frailty.

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Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Random-effects meta-analysis for the association between BMI or smoking status and DNAm age. (a) Forest plot of the association between BMI and DNAm age estimated using the Hannum clock; (b) Forest plot of the association between BMI and DNAm age estimated using the Horvath clock; (c) Forest plot of the association between smoking (current vs never/noncurrent) and DNAm age estimated using the Hannum clock; (d) Forest plot of the association between smoking (current vs never/noncurrent) and DNAm age estimated using the Hannum clock.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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