Dietary Carbohydrate Quality Is Associated with Epigenetic Age Acceleration: a Cross-Sectional Study of the CARDIA Cohort

So Yun Yi; Lyn M. Steffen; David R. Jacobs; Brian Joyce; Weihua Guan; Daniel Duprez; Kamakshi Lakshminarayan; Yinan Zheng; Lifang Hou

doi:10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.01.022

Dietary Carbohydrate Quality Is Associated with Epigenetic Age Acceleration: a Cross-Sectional Study of the CARDIA Cohort

So Yun Yi^*, Lyn M. Steffen, David R. Jacobs, Brian Joyce, Weihua Guan, Daniel Duprez, Kamakshi Lakshminarayan, Yinan Zheng, Lifang Hou

^*Corresponding author for this work

Preventive Medicine

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Background: Dietary intake is one lifestyle factor that is expected to impact gene expression by altering DNA methylation (DNAm), thus affecting epigenetic aging. Studies on the association between quality of carbohydrates and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) are scarce despite the evidence that quality may be more important than amount of carbohydrates consumed. Objectives: We aimed to identify the cross-sectional associations of carbohydrate quality and fiber-rich food score with EAA in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Methods: Trained interviewers administered the CARDIA Diet History to obtain dietary intake at examination year 20. EAA measures, PhenoAge acceleration (PhenoAA) and GrimAge acceleration (GrimAA), were generated based on epigenetic age estimates calculated using DNAm profiling data from fasting blood samples at examination years 20, 25, and 30. Linear mixed-effects regression models were used to evaluate the association of carbohydrate quality, defined using carbohydrate:fiber ratio, and fiber-rich food score with EAA measures. Results: After adjusting for demographic and lifestyle factors, quartiles of carbohydrate quality (defined using carbohydrate:fiber ratio) were inversely associated with PhenoAA and GrimAA; the highest carbohydrate quality quartile showing a difference (standard error [SE]) of −1.19 (0.2) y for PhenoAA (P-trend < 0.001) and −1.20 (0.1) y for GrimAA (P-trend < 0.001) compared with the lowest carbohydrate quality quartile. Similarly, quartiles of fiber-rich food score (created based on daily intakes of whole grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and legumes) were inversely associated with PhenoAA and GrimAA; the highest quartile showing a difference (SE) of −1.06 (0.2) y for PhenoAA (P-trend = 0.002) and −1.31 (0.2) y for GrimAA (P-trend < 0.001) compared with the lowest quartile. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that consuming a high carbohydrate quality diet and a dietary pattern composed of fiber-rich foods is cross-sectionally associated with slower biological aging.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1210-1217
Number of pages	8
Journal	Journal of Nutrition
Volume	155
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.01.022
State	Published - Apr 2025

Funding

The Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study (CARDIA) is conducted and supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) in collaboration with the University of Alabama at Birmingham (75N92023D00002 & 75N92023D00005), Northwestern University (75N92023D00004), University of Minnesota (75N92023D00006), and Kaiser Foundation Research Institute (75N92023D00003). This work was supported by grant R01HL150053 (PI: Lyn M. Steffen) from NHLBI. Laboratory work and analytical components were funded by the American Heart Association (17SFRN33700278 & 14SFRN20790000, PI: Lifang Hou)

Keywords

biological age
carbohydrate quality
carbohydrates
dietary fiber
epigenetic age acceleration
fiber-rich foods

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Medicine (miscellaneous)
Nutrition and Dietetics

Access to Document

10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.01.022

Cite this

@article{9b07c8e1f7e8404595a7780e406478b7,

title = "Dietary Carbohydrate Quality Is Associated with Epigenetic Age Acceleration: a Cross-Sectional Study of the CARDIA Cohort",

abstract = "Background: Dietary intake is one lifestyle factor that is expected to impact gene expression by altering DNA methylation (DNAm), thus affecting epigenetic aging. Studies on the association between quality of carbohydrates and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) are scarce despite the evidence that quality may be more important than amount of carbohydrates consumed. Objectives: We aimed to identify the cross-sectional associations of carbohydrate quality and fiber-rich food score with EAA in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Methods: Trained interviewers administered the CARDIA Diet History to obtain dietary intake at examination year 20. EAA measures, PhenoAge acceleration (PhenoAA) and GrimAge acceleration (GrimAA), were generated based on epigenetic age estimates calculated using DNAm profiling data from fasting blood samples at examination years 20, 25, and 30. Linear mixed-effects regression models were used to evaluate the association of carbohydrate quality, defined using carbohydrate:fiber ratio, and fiber-rich food score with EAA measures. Results: After adjusting for demographic and lifestyle factors, quartiles of carbohydrate quality (defined using carbohydrate:fiber ratio) were inversely associated with PhenoAA and GrimAA; the highest carbohydrate quality quartile showing a difference (standard error [SE]) of −1.19 (0.2) y for PhenoAA (P-trend < 0.001) and −1.20 (0.1) y for GrimAA (P-trend < 0.001) compared with the lowest carbohydrate quality quartile. Similarly, quartiles of fiber-rich food score (created based on daily intakes of whole grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and legumes) were inversely associated with PhenoAA and GrimAA; the highest quartile showing a difference (SE) of −1.06 (0.2) y for PhenoAA (P-trend = 0.002) and −1.31 (0.2) y for GrimAA (P-trend < 0.001) compared with the lowest quartile. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that consuming a high carbohydrate quality diet and a dietary pattern composed of fiber-rich foods is cross-sectionally associated with slower biological aging.",

keywords = "biological age, carbohydrate quality, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, epigenetic age acceleration, fiber-rich foods",

author = "Yi, {So Yun} and Steffen, {Lyn M.} and Jacobs, {David R.} and Brian Joyce and Weihua Guan and Daniel Duprez and Kamakshi Lakshminarayan and Yinan Zheng and Lifang Hou",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 The Authors",

year = "2025",

month = apr,

doi = "10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.01.022",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "155",

pages = "1210--1217",

journal = "Journal of Nutrition",

issn = "0022-3166",

publisher = "Elsevier B.V.",

number = "4",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Dietary Carbohydrate Quality Is Associated with Epigenetic Age Acceleration

T2 - a Cross-Sectional Study of the CARDIA Cohort

AU - Yi, So Yun

AU - Steffen, Lyn M.

AU - Jacobs, David R.

AU - Joyce, Brian

AU - Guan, Weihua

AU - Duprez, Daniel

AU - Lakshminarayan, Kamakshi

AU - Zheng, Yinan

AU - Hou, Lifang

PY - 2025/4

Y1 - 2025/4

N2 - Background: Dietary intake is one lifestyle factor that is expected to impact gene expression by altering DNA methylation (DNAm), thus affecting epigenetic aging. Studies on the association between quality of carbohydrates and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) are scarce despite the evidence that quality may be more important than amount of carbohydrates consumed. Objectives: We aimed to identify the cross-sectional associations of carbohydrate quality and fiber-rich food score with EAA in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Methods: Trained interviewers administered the CARDIA Diet History to obtain dietary intake at examination year 20. EAA measures, PhenoAge acceleration (PhenoAA) and GrimAge acceleration (GrimAA), were generated based on epigenetic age estimates calculated using DNAm profiling data from fasting blood samples at examination years 20, 25, and 30. Linear mixed-effects regression models were used to evaluate the association of carbohydrate quality, defined using carbohydrate:fiber ratio, and fiber-rich food score with EAA measures. Results: After adjusting for demographic and lifestyle factors, quartiles of carbohydrate quality (defined using carbohydrate:fiber ratio) were inversely associated with PhenoAA and GrimAA; the highest carbohydrate quality quartile showing a difference (standard error [SE]) of −1.19 (0.2) y for PhenoAA (P-trend < 0.001) and −1.20 (0.1) y for GrimAA (P-trend < 0.001) compared with the lowest carbohydrate quality quartile. Similarly, quartiles of fiber-rich food score (created based on daily intakes of whole grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and legumes) were inversely associated with PhenoAA and GrimAA; the highest quartile showing a difference (SE) of −1.06 (0.2) y for PhenoAA (P-trend = 0.002) and −1.31 (0.2) y for GrimAA (P-trend < 0.001) compared with the lowest quartile. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that consuming a high carbohydrate quality diet and a dietary pattern composed of fiber-rich foods is cross-sectionally associated with slower biological aging.

AB - Background: Dietary intake is one lifestyle factor that is expected to impact gene expression by altering DNA methylation (DNAm), thus affecting epigenetic aging. Studies on the association between quality of carbohydrates and epigenetic age acceleration (EAA) are scarce despite the evidence that quality may be more important than amount of carbohydrates consumed. Objectives: We aimed to identify the cross-sectional associations of carbohydrate quality and fiber-rich food score with EAA in the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study. Methods: Trained interviewers administered the CARDIA Diet History to obtain dietary intake at examination year 20. EAA measures, PhenoAge acceleration (PhenoAA) and GrimAge acceleration (GrimAA), were generated based on epigenetic age estimates calculated using DNAm profiling data from fasting blood samples at examination years 20, 25, and 30. Linear mixed-effects regression models were used to evaluate the association of carbohydrate quality, defined using carbohydrate:fiber ratio, and fiber-rich food score with EAA measures. Results: After adjusting for demographic and lifestyle factors, quartiles of carbohydrate quality (defined using carbohydrate:fiber ratio) were inversely associated with PhenoAA and GrimAA; the highest carbohydrate quality quartile showing a difference (standard error [SE]) of −1.19 (0.2) y for PhenoAA (P-trend < 0.001) and −1.20 (0.1) y for GrimAA (P-trend < 0.001) compared with the lowest carbohydrate quality quartile. Similarly, quartiles of fiber-rich food score (created based on daily intakes of whole grains, fruit, vegetables, nuts, and legumes) were inversely associated with PhenoAA and GrimAA; the highest quartile showing a difference (SE) of −1.06 (0.2) y for PhenoAA (P-trend = 0.002) and −1.31 (0.2) y for GrimAA (P-trend < 0.001) compared with the lowest quartile. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that consuming a high carbohydrate quality diet and a dietary pattern composed of fiber-rich foods is cross-sectionally associated with slower biological aging.

KW - biological age

KW - carbohydrate quality

KW - carbohydrates

KW - dietary fiber

KW - epigenetic age acceleration

KW - fiber-rich foods

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85219035746&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85219035746&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.01.022

DO - 10.1016/j.tjnut.2025.01.022

M3 - Article

C2 - 39880169

AN - SCOPUS:85219035746

SN - 0022-3166

VL - 155

SP - 1210

EP - 1217

JO - Journal of Nutrition

JF - Journal of Nutrition

IS - 4

ER -

Dietary Carbohydrate Quality Is Associated with Epigenetic Age Acceleration: a Cross-Sectional Study of the CARDIA Cohort

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this