Twins study reveals diet’s role in biological aging and longevity

New research presents evidence that a diet low in vegetables and fruits and high in red meat, fast food, and sugar-sweetened soft drinks accelerates biological aging, including in young adulthood.

Humans do not always age biologically at the same rate as their chronological age, highlight the study authors. Faster biological aging compared to chronological age has been linked to higher risks of disease and mortality.

“Some of the observed associations may also be explained by other lifestyle factors, such as physical activity, smoking, and body weight, as healthy and unhealthy lifestyle habits tend to cluster in the same individuals,” says Dr. Suvi Ravi, a postdoctoral researcher for the study.

“However, diet maintained a small independent association with aging even when we accounted for other lifestyle factors.”

Reading the epigenetic clock

The study conducted at Finland’s University of Jyväskylä and the Gerontology Research Center investigated whether diet predicts the rate of biological aging in young adulthood. The study participants were twins between the ages of 20 and 25.

Biological aging can be measured using epigenetic clocks. Epigenetic clocks are computational models developed through machine learning methods that predict biological age based on methyl groups that regulate the expression of genes.

Participants’ diet was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire, where they reported the typical consumption frequency of 55 food items.

The study results indicate that diets characterized by low intake of vegetables and fruits and high consumption of red and processed meat, fast food, and sugar-sweetened soft drinks were associated with faster biological aging.

Conversely, diets rich in vegetables and fruits and low in meat, fast food, and sugary soft drinks were associated with slower biological aging.

Assessing genetic influences

Since the study participants were twins, the research was able to investigate the genetic influence on the relationship between diet and biological age.

The results suggest that a shared genetic background, but not the shared childhood environment of the twins, explains the relationship between diet and aging in young adulthood.

“However, this does not mean that a health-promoting diet would not benefit everyone,” concludes Ravi.

The study is a part of the research project “The role of nutrition in the prevention of common diseases,” which is funded by the Juho Vainio Foundation. This sub-study utilized data from the FinnTwin12 study. A total of 826 individual twins and 363 twin pairs participated in the study.

Previous research on twins suggested that following a vegan diet for eight weeks decreased biological age estimations. However, critics have stated that this study’s time frame was too short and that twins on the vegan diet consumed fewer calories, which could have impacted the results. 

In other nutrition-led longevity research, Biohm Technologies, a microbiome solutions specialist, recently launched its “Longevity Gut Report” as an added functionality to its microbiome test kit solution. The upgrade leverages AI and bioinformatics to provide deeper insights into how a person’s gut microbiome may impact their aging process. 

Meanwhile, scientists at the biopharmaceutical company CCM Biosciences have published findings from a “landmark” study, identifying enzyme activators that restore a “previously undruggable” mitochondrial regulator of cellular energy production to youthful activity levels. They highlight that these enzyme-stimulating compounds show promise for cellular rejuvenation and treating age-related diseases.