Food insecurity and epigenetic aging in middle-aged and older adults.

Aging Biomarkers Epigenetic age Food insecurity Social determinants of health United States

Journal

Social science & medicine (1982)
ISSN: 1873-5347
Titre abrégé: Soc Sci Med
Pays: England
ID NLM: 8303205

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
07 May 2024
Historique:
received: 05 03 2024
revised: 03 05 2024
accepted: 05 05 2024
medline: 10 5 2024
pubmed: 10 5 2024
entrez: 9 5 2024
Statut: aheadofprint

Résumé

Food insecurity is recognized as a key social determinant of health for older adults. While food insecurity has been associated with morbidity and mortality, few studies have examined how it may contribute to accelerated biological aging. A potential mechanism by which food insecurity may contribute to aging is via epigenetic alterations. We examined the relationship between food insecurity and epigenetic aging, a novel measure of biological aging, in a nationally representative sample of middle-aged and older adults in the United States. Cross-sectional analysis of adults 50 years of age and older from the 2016 Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Financial food insecurity was self-reported via two questions that ascertained having enough money for food or eating less than they felt they should. Epigenetic aging was measured via epigenetic clocks based on DNA methylation patterns that predict aging correlates of morbidity and mortality. Linear regressions were performed to test for differences in the epigenetic clocks, adjusting for biological, socioeconomic, and behavioral factors. The analysis consisted of 3875 adults with mean age of 68.5 years. A total of 8.1% reported food insecurity. Food insecurity was associated with several characteristics, including younger age, race/ethnic minority, lower income, total wealth, and educational attainment, higher BMI, and less physical activity. Food insecurity was associated with accelerated epigenetic aging compared to food security, as measured via second (Zhang, PhenoAge, GrimAge) and third (DunedinPoAm) generation epigenetic clocks. In particular, food insecurity remained significantly associated with accelerated Zhang (B = 0.09, SE = 0.03, p = 0.011) and GrimAge (B = 0.57, SE = 0.24, p = 0.022) in the fully adjusted models. Food insecurity is associated with accelerated epigenetic aging among middle-aged and older adults in the United States. Food insecurity may contribute to DNA methylation alterations across the genome and biological age acceleration. These findings add to a growing understanding of the influence of socioeconomic status on the epigenome and health in aging.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Food insecurity is recognized as a key social determinant of health for older adults. While food insecurity has been associated with morbidity and mortality, few studies have examined how it may contribute to accelerated biological aging. A potential mechanism by which food insecurity may contribute to aging is via epigenetic alterations. We examined the relationship between food insecurity and epigenetic aging, a novel measure of biological aging, in a nationally representative sample of middle-aged and older adults in the United States.
METHODS METHODS
Cross-sectional analysis of adults 50 years of age and older from the 2016 Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Financial food insecurity was self-reported via two questions that ascertained having enough money for food or eating less than they felt they should. Epigenetic aging was measured via epigenetic clocks based on DNA methylation patterns that predict aging correlates of morbidity and mortality. Linear regressions were performed to test for differences in the epigenetic clocks, adjusting for biological, socioeconomic, and behavioral factors.
RESULTS RESULTS
The analysis consisted of 3875 adults with mean age of 68.5 years. A total of 8.1% reported food insecurity. Food insecurity was associated with several characteristics, including younger age, race/ethnic minority, lower income, total wealth, and educational attainment, higher BMI, and less physical activity. Food insecurity was associated with accelerated epigenetic aging compared to food security, as measured via second (Zhang, PhenoAge, GrimAge) and third (DunedinPoAm) generation epigenetic clocks. In particular, food insecurity remained significantly associated with accelerated Zhang (B = 0.09, SE = 0.03, p = 0.011) and GrimAge (B = 0.57, SE = 0.24, p = 0.022) in the fully adjusted models.
CONCLUSIONS CONCLUSIONS
Food insecurity is associated with accelerated epigenetic aging among middle-aged and older adults in the United States. Food insecurity may contribute to DNA methylation alterations across the genome and biological age acceleration. These findings add to a growing understanding of the influence of socioeconomic status on the epigenome and health in aging.

Identifiants

DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116949 PMID: 38723585
pubmed: 38723585
pii: S0277-9536(24)00393-9
doi: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2024.116949
pii:
doi:

Types de publication

Journal Article

Langues

eng

Sous-ensembles de citation

IM

Pagination

116949

Informations de copyright

Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Declaration of competing interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Auteurs

Javier A Tamargo (JA)

Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA. Electronic address: j.tamargo@ufl.edu.

Yenisel Cruz-Almeida (Y)

Pain Research and Intervention Center of Excellence, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Institute on Aging, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA; Department of Community Dentistry and Behavioral Science, College of Dentistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.

Classifications MeSH