No Association Between Physical Activity and Telomere Length in an Elderly Chinese Population 65 Years and Older

摘要

Telomere shortening has been considered an aging marker since it represents lifetime exposure to oxidative and inflammatory stress, and it has been shown to be negatively correlated with age, smoking, and mortality up to age 75 years. A recent article in the Archives reported that the benefits of leisure activity include an association with longer telomere length in middle-aged subjects, after adjusting for confounding factors such as body mass index, smoking, and socioeco-nomic status, sending a potentially powerful message that regular exercise has antiaging effects. We report a study in an elderly Chinese population 65 years and older that suggests that by age 70 years, this beneficial effect on telomere length is much attenuated.