May 29, 2024- The benefit of better heart health may be associated with the positive impact of heart healthy lifestyle factors on biological aging (the age of the body and its cells), according to new research by the American Heart Association. The study analyzed whether a chemical modification process known as DNA methylation, which regulates gene expression, may be one mechanism by which cardiovascular disease health factors affect cell aging and the risk of death. DNA methylation levels are the most promising biomarker to estimate biological age.
The study found that in participants with a genetic risk profile making them more likely to have an accelerated biological age, DNA methylation accounted for 39%, 39%, and 78% reduction in the risk of cardiovascular disease, cardiovascular death and all-cause death, respectively. AHA researchers have determined modifiable risk factors and DNA methylation are independently associated with cardiovascular disease.
According to the American Heart Association’s 2024 Heart Disease and Stroke Statistics, heart disease and stroke claimed more lives in the U.S. in 2021 than all forms of cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease combined, and also accounted for approximately 19.91 million global deaths. Changes to a healthier lifestyle could help many Americans prevent and manage heart disease.