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Journal article
A Test of Biological and Behavioral Explanations for Gender Differences in Telomere Length: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
Biodemography and social biology, v 60(2)
03 Jul 2014
PMID: 25343364
Featured in Collection : UN Sustainable Development Goals @ Drexel
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine biological and behavioral explanations for gender differences in leukocyte telomere length (LTL), a biomarker of cell aging that has been hypothesized to contribute to women's greater longevity. Data are from a subsample (n = 851) of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, a population-based study of women and men aged 45 to 84. Mediation models were used to examine study hypotheses. We found that women had longer LTL than men, but the gender difference was smaller at older ages. Gender differences in smoking and processed meat consumption partially mediated gender differences in telomere length, whereas gender differences in estradiol, total testosterone, oxidative stress, and body mass index did not. Neither behavioral nor biological factors explained why the gender difference in LTL was smaller at older ages. Longitudinal studies are needed to assess gender differences in the rate of change in LTL over time; to identify the biological, behavioral, and psychosocial factors that contribute to these differences throughout the life course; and to determine whether gender differences in LTL explain the gender gap in longevity.
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Details
- Title
- A Test of Biological and Behavioral Explanations for Gender Differences in Telomere Length: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
- Creators
- Belinda L. Needham - University of Michigan–Ann ArborAna V. Diez Roux - Drexel Univ, Dept Epidemiol, Philadelphia, PA 19104 USAChloe E. Bird - RAND CorporationRyan Bradley - Bastyr UniversityAnnette L. Fitzpatrick - University of WashingtonDavid R. Jacobs - University of MinnesotaPamela Ouyang - Johns Hopkins UniversityTeresa E. Seeman - University of California at Los AngelesRebecca C. Thurston - University of PittsburghDhananjay Vaidya - Johns Hopkins UniversitySteven Wang - Drexel University
- Publication Details
- Biodemography and social biology, v 60(2)
- Publisher
- Taylor & Francis
- Number of pages
- 18
- Grant note
- R01-HL-076831; R01-HL-074406; R01-HL-101161; R01 HL074338; R01 HL101161; N01HC95169; R01-HL-074338; R01 HL076831; R01 HL074406; N01HC95159 / NHLBI NIH HHS; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Heart Lung & Blood Institute (NHLBI) UL1TR000423 / NATIONAL CENTER FOR ADVANCING TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCES; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS) R44HL095169 / NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD INSTITUTE; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Heart Lung & Blood Institute (NHLBI) UL1RR024156 / NATIONAL CENTER FOR RESEARCH RESOURCES; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) UL1 RR025014; UL1 RR024156; UL1 RR025005; UL1-RR-02501401 / NCRR NIH HHS; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Center for Research Resources (NCRR) UL1 TR000423 / NCATS NIH HHS; United States Department of Health & Human Services; National Institutes of Health (NIH) - USA; NIH National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- Urban Health Collaborative
- Web of Science ID
- WOS:000343911700004
- Scopus ID
- 2-s2.0-84908491895
- Other Identifier
- 991019168279304721
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- Web of Science research areas
- Demography
- Social Sciences, Biomedical
- Sociology