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Model construction for biological age based on a cross-sectional study of a healthy Chinese han population

  • Published:
The journal of nutrition, health & aging

Abstract

Objectives

Biological age (BA) has been proposed to evaluate the aging status in an objective way instead of chronological age (CA). The purpose of our study is to construct a more precise formula of BA in the cross-sectional study based on a largest-ever sample of our studies. This formula aims at better evaluation of body function and exploring the disciplines of aging in different genders and age stages.

Methods

A total of 1,373 healthy Chinese Han (age range, 19-93 years) were recruited from five cities in China, including 581 males and 792 females. Physical examination, blood routine, blood chemistry, and other lab tests were performed to obtain a total of 74 clinical variables. Then, the principal component analysis (PCA) was used to select variables and estimate BA. The BA formula was further validated in a population with some diseases (n=266), including cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes, kidney diseases, pulmonary diseases, cancer and disorders in nervous system.

Results

The BA formula was constructed as follows: BA = 0.358 (pulse pressure) + 0.258 (trail making test)–11.552 (mitral valve E/A peak) + 26.383 (minimum intima-media thickness) + 31.965 (Cystatin C) + 0.163 (CA)–3.902. In validation of the formula, BAs of patients were older than those of healthy persons. The BA accelerates faster in the middle-aged population than in the elderly population (>75 years old).

Conclusion

This BA formula can reflect health condition changes of aging better than CA in a Chinese Han population.

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nephrology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Chinese PLA Institute of Nephrology, State Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Kidney Diseases, 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing, 100853, China

    W. Zhang, G. Cai, D. Zhao, Z. Li, Z. Feng, XueFeng Sun & Xiang-Mei Chen

  2. Department of Nephrology, Second Hospital of Jilin University, 218 Ziqiang Street, Changchun, Jilin Province, 130041, China

    L. Jia

  3. Department of Nephrology, People’s Hospital of Henan Province, 7 Weiwu Road, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450003, China

    F. Shao

  4. Department of Nephrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University, 222 Zhongshan Road, Dalian, Liaoning Province, 116011, China

    H. Lin

  5. Department of Nephrology, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, 1 Jianshe East Road, Zhengzhou, Henan Province, 450003, China

    Z. Liu

  6. Department of Nephrology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 139 Renmin Middle Street, Changsha, Hunan Province, 410011, China

    F. Liu

  7. Department of Gerontology and Geriatrics, ShengJing Hospital of China Medical University, 155 Nanjing North Street, Shenyang, Liaoning Province, 110001, China

    X. Bai

  8. Department of Nephrology, Kidney Institute of Chinese PLA, Chinese PLA General Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Kidney Diseases, Beijing, 100853, China

    XueFeng Sun & Xiang-Mei Chen

Authors
  1. W. Zhang
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  2. L. Jia
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  3. G. Cai
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  4. F. Shao
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  5. H. Lin
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  7. F. Liu
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  8. D. Zhao
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  9. Z. Li
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  10. X. Bai
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  11. Z. Feng
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  13. Xiang-Mei Chen
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to XueFeng Sun or Xiang-Mei Chen.

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Zhang, W., Jia, L., Cai, G. et al. Model construction for biological age based on a cross-sectional study of a healthy Chinese han population. J Nutr Health Aging 21, 1233–1239 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-017-0874-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12603-017-0874-7

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