Recent studies indicate that maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle can positively impact biological aging and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and related mortality. The study focused on DNA methylation as a key mediator in this process. Analyzing data from the Framingham Heart Study, the findings indicated that lifestyle improvements can significantly reduce cardiovascular risk, particularly in individuals who are genetically at risk for accelerated aging. These insights emphasize the role of lifestyle modifications in promoting cardiovascular health and longevity.
A new study suggests that a higher lifestyle may be associated with a positive effect on risk factors for heart disease, which may affect the aging process of the body and cells.
New research published in Journal of the American Heart Association It suggests that adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle can benefit heart health by positively influencing biological aging, which refers to the age of the body and cells.
“The findings of our study tell us that regardless of your actual age, better heart-healthy behaviors and control of heart disease risks are associated with younger biological age and lower risk of heart disease and stroke, death from heart disease and stroke, and death from any cause,” says Jiantao Ma, Ph.D. Senior study author and Assistant Professor in the Department of Nutrition Epidemiology and Data Science at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in Boston.
The role of DNA methylation in cardiovascular health
If this research examines DNA Methylation, a chemical process that regulates gene expression, may be a way for cardiovascular health factors to influence cellular aging and risk of death. DNA methylation levels are key biomarkers for assessing biological age. Although genetics determine biological age, it can be affected by lifestyle choices and stress.
Researchers examined the health data of 5,682 adults (mean age 56 years, 56 percent women) enrolled in the Framingham Heart Study, an ongoing, large, multidisciplinary research project to identify risk factors for heart disease. Using interviews, physical examinations, and laboratory tests, all participants were screened from American Heart Association’s Vital 8 ToolIt rates 8 heart health lifestyle factors that are critical to cardiovascular health on a scale of 0 to 100, with 100 being the best.
This assessment includes four behavioral measures: Dietary intake, which focuses on the quality and balance of daily diet; Exercise that evaluates the frequency and intensity of exercise; Assessing hours of sleep per night, sleep duration and quality; and smoking status, which identifies exposure to tobacco. In addition, four clinical parameters are used: body mass index (BMI), which measures body fat based on height and weight; Cholesterol levels, which indicate lipid health; Assess blood sugar levels, glucose control; And blood pressure, cardiovascular pressure monitoring. Each participant was assessed using four tools that estimate biological age based on DNA methylation, a process that affects gene expression, and a fifth tool that assesses a person’s genetic predisposition to accelerated biological aging. Participants were followed for 11-14 years to monitor for new cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular disease, death, or death from any cause.
The analysis found:
- For every 13-point increase in an individual’s vital 8 points, the risk of developing Cardiovascular disease The first time was reduced by about 35%, cardiovascular disease death was reduced by 36%, and death from any cause was reduced by 29%.
- In participants with a genetic risk profile that predisposes them to accelerated biological aging, the Vital 8 score had a significant effect on DNA methylation outcomes, i.e. DNA methylation decreased by 39%, 39%, and 78%. Cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular death and all causes of death respectively.
- Overall, it has been estimated that 20% of the association between Life 8 outcomes and cardiovascular outcomes is due to the effects of cardiovascular health factors on DNA methylation. In contrast, for participants at higher genetic risk, the association was approximately 40%.
“While there are a few DNA methylation-based, biological age calculators on the market, we don’t have good advice on whether people should know their epigenetic age,” Ma said. “Our message is that everyone should remember the eight heart disease and stroke health issues: eat healthy foods; be more active; quit smoking; get healthy sleep; manage weight; and maintain healthy cholesterol, blood sugar and blood pressure levels.”
Effects of DNA methylation and future research directions
Randy Foraker, PhD, MA, FAA, of Life’s Essentials 8: Updating and Improving the American Heart Association’s Cardiovascular Health FrameworkThe findings are consistent with previous research.
“We know that elevated risk factors and DNA methylation are independently associated with cardiovascular disease. This study adds that DNA methylation may act as a mediator between risk factors and cardiovascular disease,” said Dr. and director of the Center for Population Health Informatics, both at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, Missouri. It shows that he has.”
Study details, background and design:
- The study analyzed health data for a subgroup of participants who participated in the Framingham Heart Study trials from 2005 to 2008 in the first-generation cohort and from 2008 to 2011 in the third-generation cohort.
- Participants were followed for an average of 14 years for the children of the main participants and 11 years for the grandchildren.
- Health outcomes for the analysis included cardiovascular disease (coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, or heart failure), death from any cardiovascular disease, or death from any cause.
- Results were adjusted for sex, age, and alcohol use. Results were adjusted for all deaths due to cancer (except non-melanoma skin cancer) or heart disease at study enrollment. Participants with a history of heart disease at study enrollment were excluded from the analysis of new-onset cardiovascular disease.
- The four tools for measuring epigenetic age effects based on DNA methylation are based on algorithms established by the DunedinPACE Score, PhenoAge, DNAmTL and GrimAge. A fifth tool, GrimAge PGS, assessed the genetic predisposition to accelerated biological aging.
Because the study is an analysis of previously collected health data, it cannot prove a cause-and-effect relationship between cardiovascular health risk factors and DNA methylation. In addition, DNA methylation measures were taken from a single time point, which limits the accuracy of the mediation results. The study’s findings are also limited because the participants were mostly of European ancestry, so the interactions between life-essential 8 and genetic aging found in this study may not be generalizable to people of other races or ethnicities.
“Currently, we are expanding our research to include members of other races and ethnicities to further investigate the relationship between cardiovascular risk factors and DNA methylation,” Ma said.
As of 2011 American Heart Association 2024 Heart Disease and Stroke StatisticsIn the year In 2021, heart disease and stroke will kill more people in the United States than all cancers and chronic lower respiratory diseases combined.
Reference: “Epigenetic Age Mediates Vital Factor 8 with Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality” by Madeleine Carbonneau, Yi Li, Brenton Prescott, Chunyu Liu, Tianxiao Huang, Robbie Johannes, Joanne M. Murabito, Nancy L. Heard-Costa, Vanessa Xanthakis, Daniel Levy, and Jiantao Ma, 29 May 2024; Journal of the American Heart Association.
DOI: 10.1161/JAHA.123.032743