The Role Of Mediterranean Diet Adherence, Smoking And Their Interactions In Epigenetic Age Acceleration: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Of The Airwave Cohort
Our bodies have internal “epigenetic clocks” that can tell us our biological age, which sometimes differs from our chronological age. These clocks can be influenced by our lifestyle. A recent study explored how two significant lifestyle factors—diet and smoking—affect these biological age markers. Researchers found that individuals who followed a Mediterranean-style diet, rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, tended to have a slower biological aging rate. Conversely, smoking was strongly linked to an accelerated biological age. Interestingly, among current smokers, those who adhered more closely to a Mediterranean diet showed less of this accelerated biological aging compared to smokers with poorer dietary habits. This suggests that while a healthy diet doesn’t negate the harms of smoking, it might offer some protective effects against the molecular changes associated with accelerated aging.
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