Twins following a poor diet in young adulthood are at risk of accelerated biological ageing, new research has revealed.
A recent study from the University of Jyväskylä and the Gerontology Research Center has found that twins between the ages of 20 and 25 can slow down biological ageing by consuming a high intake of fruit and vegetables and a low intake of red meat and processed foods.
A high intake of fast food and sugar-sweetened soft drinks are also associated with accelerated biological ageing, the trial has reported.
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Senior author Suvi Ravi said: “Some of the observed associations may also be explained by other lifestyle factors, such as physical activity, smoking and body weight, as healthy and unhealthy lifestyle habits tend to cluster in the same individuals.
“However, diet maintained a small independent association with ageing even when we accounted for other lifestyle factors.”
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Twins tend to have the same relationship with diet and ageing because of their shared genetic background rather than their shared childhood environment.
Suvi Ravi explained: “However, this does not mean that a health-promoting diet would not benefit everyone.”
Biological age is how old your cells are, while chronological age is how long you’ve been alive. Biological age is a measure of how well your tissues and organs function, while chronological age is just a number.
Read more in Clinical Nutrition.
