Healthy Diet Low in Sugar Linked to Younger Biological Age: JAMA Study

Researchers at UC San Francisco have discovered a connection between a diet rich in vitamins and minerals, particularly one low in added sugar, and a younger biological age at the cellular level.

The study, published in JAMA Network Open, examined the impact of three different healthy eating measures on an "epigenetic clock" – a biochemical test that estimates health and lifespan. Results showed that the healthier the participants' diets, the younger their cells appeared. However, even among those with healthy eating habits, each gram of added sugar consumed was linked to an increase in their epigenetic age.

This study is among the first to demonstrate a link between added sugar and epigenetic aging, and the first to investigate this connection in midlife women.

The women in the study reported an average daily consumption of 61.5 grams of added sugar, with individual intakes ranging from 2.7 to 316 grams per day. For context, a bar of milk chocolate contains about 25 grams of added sugar, while a 12-ounce can of cola has approximately 39 grams. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that adults limit their added sugar intake to no more than 50 grams per day.

In the cross-sectional study, researchers analyzed food records. They compared the women's diets, scored for adherence to a Mediterranean-style diet and a diet linked to lower chronic disease risk, with epigenetic clock measures derived from saliva samples. Additionally, they created an "Epigenetic Nutrient Index (ENI)" based on nutrients linked to anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory processes, and DNA maintenance, including vitamins A, C, B12, E, folate, selenium, magnesium, dietary fiber, and isoflavones.

Adherence to any healthy diet was significantly associated with lower epigenetic age, with the Mediterranean diet showing the strongest link. However, a separate analysis revealed that added sugar consumption was linked to accelerated biological aging, even within healthy diets.

Reference: Chiu, D. T., et al. (2024). Essential Nutrients, Added Sugar Intake, and Epigenetic Age in Midlife Black and White Women: NIMHD Social Epigenomics Program. JAMA Network Open. doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.22749.