Each month, we will highlight a paper published in Aging-US chosen as the “Editors’ Choice.” These selections are handpicked by our editors and accompanied by a brief summary, showcasing research with significant impact and novel insights in aging and age-related diseases.

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In this study, titled “Plant-based dietary patterns are associated with slower epigenetic aging,” the researchers examined whether plant-based dietary patterns are linked to biological aging in large, diverse U.S. populations. Using data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study and National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), they analyzed several versions of plant-based diet scores that reflect higher intake of plant foods and lower intake of animal products, as well as distinctions between healthy and less healthy plant-based foods. They then compared these dietary patterns with DNA methylation-based “epigenetic clocks,” which estimate biological age, including GrimAge2, PhenoAge, and HannumAge.

The results showed that greater adherence to overall plant-based diets, provegetarian diets, and especially healthy plant-based diets was consistently associated with slower epigenetic aging, meaning participants appeared biologically younger than their chronological age. In contrast, diets higher in less healthy plant-based foods did not show the same benefits.

The findings suggest that diets emphasizing whole plant foods and limiting animal products may help slow biological aging at the molecular level.

DOI - https://doi.org/10.18632/aging.206362

Corresponding author - Hyunju Kim - [email protected]

Abstract video - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcJ7oEZ-KFk

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Keywords - aging, plant-based diets, DNA methylation, epigenetic aging, all-cause mortality, middle-aged adults

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