Longitudinal Association of Telomere Dynamics with Obesity and Metabolic Disorders in Young Children

Abstract

In adults, short leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is associated with metabolic disorders, such as obesity and diabetes mellitus type 2. These associations could stem from early life interactions between LTL and metabolic disorders. To test this hypothesis, we explored the associations between LTL and metabolic parameters as well as their evolution over time in children with or without obesity at baseline. Seventy-three (n = 73) children attending our Outpatient Clinic for the Prevention and Management of Overweight and Obesity in Childhood and Adolescence, aged 2–10 years (mean ± SD: 7.6 ± 2.0 years), were followed for 2 to 4 years. Anthropometric, clinical, and biological (including LTL by Southern blot) measurements were performed annually. Baseline LTL correlated negatively with BMI (p = 0.02), fat percentage (p = 0.01), and blood glucose (p = 0.0007). These associations persisted after adjustments for age and sex. No associations were found between LTL attrition during the follow-up period and any of the metabolic parameters. In young children, obesity and metabolic disturbances were associated with shorter telomeres but were not associated with more pronounced LTL attrition. These results suggest that short telomeres contribute to the development of obesity and metabolic disorders very early in life, which can have a major impact on health.

The impact of telomere length on the risk of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus: a bidirectional Mendelian randomization study

“…Clinically, shorter TL is associated with unhealthy physical conditions, such as smoking, increased body weight, and physical inactivity 16 . Shorter TL is also clearly tied to an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases 17 , type 2 diabetes 18 , and AD 19 . Regarding the genetic contribution to the development of congenital hydrocephalus, it suggests that X-linked hydrocephalus genes are associated with congenital hydrocephalus, and these genes with a high mutation rate are associated with proximity to telomeres and high adenine and thymine content 20 .…”

Non-Traditional Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Adolescents with Obesity and Metabolic Syndrome May Predict Future Cardiovascular Disease

“…Consequently, obesity-the state of the excessive accumulation of adipose tissue-in childhood and adolescence is considered to be one of the most significant cardiovascular risk factors [7,8], given that it is strongly associated with dyslipidemia, hypertension, insulin resistance, and impaired glucose tolerance. The co-occurrence of these disorders, referred to as metabolic syndrome (MetS), may predict mortality from ischemic heart disease and DM2 [9].…”