Waist-to-hip ratio predicts faster telomere shortening than depression

A new study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders has found that depression itself may not directly speed up biological aging. Instead, body fat distribution, particularly around the waist, appears more strongly linked to faster cellular aging.

Depression is common and known to raise the risk of heart disease, diabetes**,** and other age-related illnesses. One possible explanation has been its connection to telomeres, tiny protective caps on DNA that naturally shorten as we age. Shorter telomeres are often viewed as a sign that the body is aging faster at a cellular level.

Previous research has suggested that people with depression tend to have shorter telomeres, but most studies only looked at individuals at a single point in time. This makes it difficult to know whether depression causes faster aging, or whether other factors linked to depression—such as lifestyle or physical health—play a bigger role.

Researchers behind the study sought to clarify this relationship. The team, led by Tsz Yan Wong from King’s College London, analyzed data from 958 women enrolled in the UK-based “TwinsUK” study. Included were 89 identical twin pairs, 215 fraternal twin pairs, and 350 unrelated individuals, ranging from 29 to 83 years old.

The participants had their telomere length measured from blood samples up to four times over roughly six years. The study also included information on depression diagnoses, antidepressant use, lifestyle habits, body measurements, and genetic risk scores for depression and several age-related diseases.

Free daily newsletter

Over the follow-up period, telomeres shortened gradually in most participants, declining by about 1.3 percent per year on average. Women who reported having depression tended to have slightly shorter telomeres, but this link was weak and not statistically strong. Importantly, depression was not associated with faster telomere shortening over time.

Antidepressant use showed a small association with shorter telomere length. The researchers noted this could be “potentially via biological pathways such as increased cellular turnover or metabolic side effects.” However, there was no clear evidence that it sped up the rate of telomere loss.

Genetic risk for depression also showed no meaningful connection with telomere length or how quickly telomeres shortened. “Our study is the first to assess whether genetic risk influences telomere [shortening], providing a novel longitudinal perspective on potential dynamic effects,” Wong and colleagues noted.

Instead, the most notable finding involved body fat distribution. Women with a higher waist-to-hip ratio, which is a measure of central body fat, experienced faster telomere shortening over time. This suggests that carrying more fat around the abdomen may play a larger role in cellular aging than depression itself.

“[Internal body fat] is linked to chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, both of which are suggested mechanisms driving… telomere shortening,” Wong’s team explained.

Other factors often linked to depression, including smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, education level**,** and early-life experiences, showed no clear relationship with telomere length in this study.

The researchers emphasize that the findings suggest depression alone may not directly accelerate biological aging in women, despite its known links to physical illness. Instead, modifiable health factors such as central body fat may be more important targets for improving both physical and mental health outcomes.

However, the study has limitations. It included mostly older White women, so the results may not apply to men or more diverse populations. Depression was self-reported rather than clinically diagnosed, and the observational design cannot prove cause and effect.

The study, “Genetic and environmental risk factors for major depression in UK women and their association with telomere length longitudinally,” was authored by Tsz Yan Wong, Alexandra C. Gillett, Leena Habiballa, Rodrigo R.R. Duarte, Ajda Pristavec, Pirro Hysi, Claire J. Steves, Veryan Codd, and Timothy R. Powell.