The Dietary Inflammatory Index® and Alternative Healthy Eating Index 2010in relation to leucocyte telomere length in postmenopausal women:a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Telomeres are nucleoprotein complexes that form the ends of eukaryotic chromosomes where they protect DNA from genomic instability, prevent end-to-end fusion and limit cellular replicative capabilities. Increased telomere attrition rates, and relatively shorter telomere length, is associated with genomicinstability and has been linked with several chronic diseases, malignancies and reduced longevity. Telomeric DNA is highly susceptible to oxidative damageand dietary habits may make an impact on telomere attrition rates through the mediation of oxidative stress and chronic inflammation. The aim of thisstudy was to examine the association between leucocyte telomere length (LTL) with both the Dietary Inflammatory Index®2014 (DII®) and the AlternativeHealthy Eating Index 2010 (AHEI-2010). This is a cross-sectional analysis using baseline data from 263 postmenopausal women from the Alberta PhysicalActivity and Breast Cancer Prevention (ALPHA) Trial, in Calgary and Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. No statistically significant association was detectedbetween LTLz-score and the AHEI-2010 (P=0·20) or DII®(P=0·91) in multivariable adjusted models. An exploratory analysis of AHEI-2010 andDII®parameters and LTL revealed anthocyanidin intake was associated with LTL (P<0·01); however, this association was non-significant after aBonferroni correction was applied (P=0·27). No effect modification by age, smoking history, or recreational physical activity was detected for eitherrelationship. Increased dietary antioxidant and decreased oxidant intake were not associated with LTL in this analysis.