Plant-Rich Dietary Patterns, Plant-Based Foods, and Nutrients with Telomere Length

Due to increasing global life expectancy, the world's population is aging. How to develop simple strategies to promote healthy aging (e.g., avoiding major chronic diseases, maintaining good physical and cognitive function, maintaining mental health, and having good quality of life) has become an important public health issue. Finding biomarkers that can better characterize the aging process is a current research focus. Telomeres are repetitive DNA sequences at the ends of chromosomes that prevent loss of genomic DNA, thereby protecting its integrity. Telomere length (TL) is considered a biomarker of aging: shorter telomeres, shorter life expectancy, and higher incidence of age-related chronic diseases. Research shows that oxidative stress and inflammation accelerate telomere attrition.

Enhancing the diet with plants rich in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory components may help delay telomere attrition: 1) Adhering to plant-rich dietary patterns (mainly but not limited to the Mediterranean diet); 2) Consuming seeds (mainly referring to nuts, grains, and coffee); and 3) Intake of carotenoids