JAMA: The University of California found that increasing sugar intake by as little as 1 gram can accelerate aging
Compared with chronological age, biological age can more accurately reflect the aging process, and the development of epigenetic clock based on DNA methylation has greatly promoted the development of aging detection.
Biological age is affected by many factors such as living habits, environment and drugs. Previous studies have shown that higher diet quality, such as the Mediterranean diet, is associated with a slower rate of aging.
Sugar is a known proinflammatory and oxidizing agent that has been implicated in the development of a variety of metabolic diseases. However, sugar is rarely taken into account in diet quality indices studied in epigenetic contexts (e.g., aMED), and the relationship between sugar intake and epigenetic aging rate is unclear.
Recently, A team of researchers from the University of California, Berkeley, published a paper in JAMA Network Open entitled "Essential Nutrients, Added Sugar Intake, and Epigenetic Age in Midlife Black and White Women, the study found that even a 1 gram increase in sugar intake accelerated aging.
The study is the first to link indicators of healthy eating, as well as increased sugar intake and the epigenetic clock, noting that higher diet quality or higher intake of antioxidants or anti-inflammatory nutrients are associated with delayed aging, while higher sugar intake is associated with accelerated aging. Further research is needed to explore the mechanisms involved and provide new directions for healthy eating.