Demographic and developmental patterns in telomere length across adolescence.

Publication Year
2020

Type

Journal Article
Abstract

Telomere length is often used in studies of adults as a biomarker of cellular aging and an indicator of stress exposure. However, we know little about how telomeres change over time, particularly over the course of the important developmental period of adolescence. We use data on telomere length collected at two points in time spanning adolescence (Years 9 and 15) from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine longitudinal patterns ( = 1,654) in telomere length. We find a quantitatively small but significant average lengthening in telomere length across adolescence and little evidence of associations between telomere length and pubertal development.

Journal
Biodemography Soc Biol
Volume
66
Issue
3-4
Pages
208-219
Date Published
2020 Jul-Sep
ISSN Number
1948-5573
Alternate Journal
Biodemography Soc Biol
PMCID
PMC8702463
PMID
34597213