Harold H Lee1, Sakurako S Okuzono2, Eric S Kim3, Immaculata De Vivo4, Laura M Raffield5, LáShauntá Glover6, Mario Sims7, Francine Grodstein8, Laura D Kubzansky2. 1. Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA. Electronic address: hhlee@hsph.harvard.edu. 2. Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA. 3. Department of Psychology, University of British Columbia, 2136 West Mall, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada. 4. Department of Epidemiology, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA. 5. Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Genetic Medicine Building, 120 Mason Farm Rd, Chapel Hill, NC 27514, USA. 6. Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 135 Dauer Dr, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA. 7. Department of Medicine, University of Mississippi Medical Center, 2500 N State St, Jackson, MS 39216, USA. 8. Rush Alzheimer's Disease Center, 600 South Paulina Street, Suite 1028, Chicago, IL 60612, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Optimism is linked with greater longevity in both White and African American populations. Optimism may enhance longevity by slowing cellular aging, for which leukocyte telomere shortening is a biomarker. However, limited studies have examined the association of optimism with leukocyte telomere length among African Americans. METHODS: Data are from 723 men and 1244 women participating in the Jackson Heart Study (age = 21-93 years). We used multivariable linear regression models to conduct cross-sectional analyses examining whether higher optimism was associated with longer mean absolute leukocyte telomere length (assayed with Southern blot analysis). Models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, depressive symptomatology, health conditions, and health behavior-related factors. We also considered potential effect modification by key factors. RESULTS: In the age-adjusted model, optimism, measured as a continuous variable, was not associated with leukocyte telomere length (β = 0.01, 95%CI: -0.02, 0.04). This association remained null in the fully-adjusted model (β = 0.02, 95%CI: -0.02, 0.05) and was also null when considering optimism as a binary measure (higher vs. lower optimism). We found no evidence of effect modification by sex, age, body mass index, income, or chronic conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Optimism was not associated with leukocyte telomere length among African American adults. Future studies should investigate alternate biological and behavioral mechanisms that may explain the optimism-health association.
BACKGROUND: Optimism is linked with greater longevity in both White and African American populations. Optimism may enhance longevity by slowing cellular aging, for which leukocyte telomere shortening is a biomarker. However, limited studies have examined the association of optimism with leukocyte telomere length among African Americans. METHODS: Data are from 723 men and 1244 women participating in the Jackson Heart Study (age = 21-93 years). We used multivariable linear regression models to conduct cross-sectional analyses examining whether higher optimism was associated with longer mean absolute leukocyte telomere length (assayed with Southern blot analysis). Models adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics, depressive symptomatology, health conditions, and health behavior-related factors. We also considered potential effect modification by key factors. RESULTS: In the age-adjusted model, optimism, measured as a continuous variable, was not associated with leukocyte telomere length (β = 0.01, 95%CI: -0.02, 0.04). This association remained null in the fully-adjusted model (β = 0.02, 95%CI: -0.02, 0.05) and was also null when considering optimism as a binary measure (higher vs. lower optimism). We found no evidence of effect modification by sex, age, body mass index, income, or chronic conditions. CONCLUSIONS: Optimism was not associated with leukocyte telomere length among African American adults. Future studies should investigate alternate biological and behavioral mechanisms that may explain the optimism-health association.
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