The role of dietary patterns on epigenetic and inflammatory aging based on the INSPIRE-T study

BACKGROUND: Diet is a modifiable lifestyle factor that may modify biological aging. However, its relationship with biomarkers of biological aging is scarce or divergent. Thus, we aimed to investigate the association between dietary patterns and epigenetic and inflammatory age acceleration. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study with 764 adults (62% female; 20-100 years), participants in the INSPIRE-T observational cohort (France), we used linear regression models to associate dietary patterns (data-driven and as adherence scores to well-established diets) with biological age acceleration estimated by using epigenetic clocks (Horvath's, Hannum's, PhenoAge, and GrimAge) and the inflammatory clock (iAge). We further explored the moderating effect of sex and age groups (20-44, 45-64, ≥65), and the mediating role of body fat, measured by DXA. RESULTS: Here, we show that a 10-point increase in the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet (DASH) score is associated with a 1.7-year lower PhenoAge acceleration, with 23% of this association being explained by android fat. Every one-unit increase in the "Plant-based" dietary pattern scores is marginally associated with 1.1-year lower PhenoAge acceleration, with total body fat accounting for 26% of this association. In the latter, the association seems more robust in older males. No consistent associations are observed for other dietary patterns, Horvath's and Hannum's clock, GrimAge, or iAge. CONCLUSIONS: Greater scores in aDASH and "Plant-based" dietary patterns are associated with lower epigenetic age acceleration through reduced body fat, with a partial moderating role of sex and age.

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Journal
Communications Medicine
Published
2026-05-13
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s43856-026-01643-1
Primary Topic
Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

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article

The role of dietary patterns on epigenetic and inflammatory aging based on the INSPIRE-T study

Nicolas Gaudenzio, Bernard Teysseyre, Lauréane Brigitte, Sophie Guyonnet et al.
Communications Medicine
Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
article

The role of dietary patterns on epigenetic and inflammatory aging based on the INSPIRE-T study

Nicolas Gaudenzio, Bernard Teysseyre, Lauréane Brigitte, Sophie Guyonnet, Néda Tavassoli, Hicham El Costa, Chrystelle Bonnart, Noélie Davezac, Emeline Müller, Laurent O. Martinez, Nathalie Vergnolle, Fabien Pillard, Jean‐Paul Motta, Davide Angioni, Isabelle Ader, Dominique Langin, Cédric Dray, Céline Deraison, Nicola Coley, Paul Bensadoun, Pauline Floch, Pierre Payoux, Jean-Marc Lemaı̂tre, Claire Rampon, Philipe de Souto Barreto, Bruno Guiard, Angelo Parini, Yohan Santin, Mélanie Comté, Patrice Péran, Tony Macaron, Agathe Milhet, Zara Steinmeyer, Antoine Piau, C Delpierre, Michel Simon, Philippe Valet, Nicolas Fazilleau, Natasha Grande de França, Catherine Takeda, Roland Liblau, Nathalie Daniaud, Fanny Boissou-Parachaud, Marie Dorard, Nabila Jabrane Ferrat, Jean-Philippe Pradere, Marie Faruch, Gabor Abellan van Kan, P Gourdy, Elodie Paez, Sabine Le Floch, Bénédicte Razat, Luciana Bostan, Sara Djebali, Jessica Pontary, Valérie Planat, Jean-Charles Guéry, Jean-Emmanuel Sarry, INSPIRE-T human cohort group: Coordinators, Françoise Lala, Catherine Faisant, Anne Bouloumié, Sandrine Andrieu, Technician DXA, Body composition, VO2 max, isocinetism subgroup, MRI subgroup, statistical analysis and data management subgroup Methodology, Investigators, Camille Champigny, ICOPE subgroup, Yves Rolland, Pierre-Jean Ousset, Bruno Vellas, Nurses, Biological sample collection subgroup, IHU HealthAge Open Science group, Christelle Cantet, Project managers, Inspire animal cohort groups, for the IHU HealthAge INSPIRE/Open Science group, Louis Casteilla
article en

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Diet is a modifiable lifestyle factor that may modify biological aging. However, its relationship with biomarkers of biological aging is scarce or divergent. Thus, we aimed to investigate the association between dietary patterns and epigenetic and inflammatory age acceleration. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study with 764 adults (62% female; 20-100 years), participants in the INSPIRE-T observational cohort (France), we used linear regression models to associate dietary patterns (data-driven and as adherence scores to well-established diets) with biological age acceleration estimated by using epigenetic clocks (Horvath's, Hannum's, PhenoAge, and GrimAge) and the inflammatory clock (iAge). We further explored the moderating effect of sex and age groups (20-44, 45-64, ≥65), and the mediating role of body fat, measured by DXA. RESULTS: Here, we show that a 10-point increase in the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension diet (DASH) score is associated with a 1.7-year lower PhenoAge acceleration, with 23% of this association being explained by android fat. Every one-unit increase in the "Plant-based" dietary pattern scores is marginally associated with 1.1-year lower PhenoAge acceleration, with total body fat accounting for 26% of this association. In the latter, the association seems more robust in older males. No consistent associations are observed for other dietary patterns, Horvath's and Hannum's clock, GrimAge, or iAge. CONCLUSIONS: Greater scores in aDASH and "Plant-based" dietary patterns are associated with lower epigenetic age acceleration through reduced body fat, with a partial moderating role of sex and age.

Communications Medicine
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier (FR), Inserm (FR), École Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse (FR), Université Fédérale de Toulouse Midi-Pyrénées (FR), Université de Montpellier (FR), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Toulouse (FR), Institut National de Recherche pour l'Agriculture, l'Alimentation et l'Environnement (FR), Centre de Recherches sur la Cognition Animale (FR), Monash Health (AU), Institut de Recherche en Santé Digestive (FR), Hôpital Saint Eloi (FR), Institut des Maladies Métaboliques et Cardiovasculaires (FR)
Pfizer, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Région Occitanie Pyrénées-Méditerranée, European Regional Development Fund
Openalex Percentile: Top 8%
Epigenetics and DNA Methylation
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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