Depressed mood affects the process of biological aging, analyses from the NHANES dataset

BackgroundDepressive mood may influence biological aging and the difference (δ-age) between biological age (BA) and chronological age (CA). This study explores the relationship between depressive mood and whole-body delta age (δ-age).MethodsA total of 7,383 U.S. adults were selected from the Nationa...

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Main Authors: Yuan Tian, Qiao Lu, Jing Li, Xiaobo Zhou, Luyao Wang, Xuemei Zhong, Yiping Luo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-07-01
Series:Frontiers in Aging
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fragi.2025.1516664/full
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author Yuan Tian
Yuan Tian
Qiao Lu
Qiao Lu
Jing Li
Jing Li
Xiaobo Zhou
Xiaobo Zhou
Luyao Wang
Luyao Wang
Xuemei Zhong
Xuemei Zhong
Yiping Luo
Yiping Luo
author_facet Yuan Tian
Yuan Tian
Qiao Lu
Qiao Lu
Jing Li
Jing Li
Xiaobo Zhou
Xiaobo Zhou
Luyao Wang
Luyao Wang
Xuemei Zhong
Xuemei Zhong
Yiping Luo
Yiping Luo
author_sort Yuan Tian
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundDepressive mood may influence biological aging and the difference (δ-age) between biological age (BA) and chronological age (CA). This study explores the relationship between depressive mood and whole-body delta age (δ-age).MethodsA total of 7,383 U.S. adults were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 2007 and 2018. Depressed mood was evaluated using PHQ-9 scores. Biological age (BA) was estimated based on circulating biomarkers, and the calculated delta age (δ-age) was validated through a generalized linear regression analysis.ResultsAfter adjusting for confounding variables, logistic regression analysis demonstrated a significant association between elevated depressive symptoms and accelerated biological aging. The restricted cubic splines (RCS) results further indicated a positive dose-response relationship between depression scale scores and the risk of biological aging. Additionally, the weighted quantile sum regression (WQS) findings revealed a positive, though non-significant, trend linking depressive mood to the risk of biological aging. Notably, overeating and low self-perception emerged as the most significant contributors to the scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale.ConclusionDepressive symptoms are linked to accelerated biological aging. Thus, interventions aimed at improving mood may help slow biological aging and contribute to delaying the aging process.
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publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Aging
spelling doaj-art-b7177bc7412c4e1fa8a3326da0e2173f2025-08-20T03:33:14ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Aging2673-62172025-07-01610.3389/fragi.2025.15166641516664Depressed mood affects the process of biological aging, analyses from the NHANES datasetYuan Tian0Yuan Tian1Qiao Lu2Qiao Lu3Jing Li4Jing Li5Xiaobo Zhou6Xiaobo Zhou7Luyao Wang8Luyao Wang9Xuemei Zhong10Xuemei Zhong11Yiping Luo12Yiping Luo13Sichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, ChinaKey Laboratory of Psychosomatic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, ChinaSichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, ChinaKey Laboratory of Psychosomatic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, ChinaSichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, ChinaKey Laboratory of Psychosomatic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, ChinaSichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, ChinaKey Laboratory of Psychosomatic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, ChinaSichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, ChinaKey Laboratory of Psychosomatic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, ChinaSichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, ChinaKey Laboratory of Psychosomatic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, ChinaSichuan Provincial Center for Mental Health, Sichuan Provincial People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, ChinaKey Laboratory of Psychosomatic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Chengdu, ChinaBackgroundDepressive mood may influence biological aging and the difference (δ-age) between biological age (BA) and chronological age (CA). This study explores the relationship between depressive mood and whole-body delta age (δ-age).MethodsA total of 7,383 U.S. adults were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted between 2007 and 2018. Depressed mood was evaluated using PHQ-9 scores. Biological age (BA) was estimated based on circulating biomarkers, and the calculated delta age (δ-age) was validated through a generalized linear regression analysis.ResultsAfter adjusting for confounding variables, logistic regression analysis demonstrated a significant association between elevated depressive symptoms and accelerated biological aging. The restricted cubic splines (RCS) results further indicated a positive dose-response relationship between depression scale scores and the risk of biological aging. Additionally, the weighted quantile sum regression (WQS) findings revealed a positive, though non-significant, trend linking depressive mood to the risk of biological aging. Notably, overeating and low self-perception emerged as the most significant contributors to the scores on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale.ConclusionDepressive symptoms are linked to accelerated biological aging. Thus, interventions aimed at improving mood may help slow biological aging and contribute to delaying the aging process.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fragi.2025.1516664/fulldepressed moodbiological agingagingactual ageNHANES
spellingShingle Yuan Tian
Yuan Tian
Qiao Lu
Qiao Lu
Jing Li
Jing Li
Xiaobo Zhou
Xiaobo Zhou
Luyao Wang
Luyao Wang
Xuemei Zhong
Xuemei Zhong
Yiping Luo
Yiping Luo
Depressed mood affects the process of biological aging, analyses from the NHANES dataset
Frontiers in Aging
depressed mood
biological aging
aging
actual age
NHANES
title Depressed mood affects the process of biological aging, analyses from the NHANES dataset
title_full Depressed mood affects the process of biological aging, analyses from the NHANES dataset
title_fullStr Depressed mood affects the process of biological aging, analyses from the NHANES dataset
title_full_unstemmed Depressed mood affects the process of biological aging, analyses from the NHANES dataset
title_short Depressed mood affects the process of biological aging, analyses from the NHANES dataset
title_sort depressed mood affects the process of biological aging analyses from the nhanes dataset
topic depressed mood
biological aging
aging
actual age
NHANES
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fragi.2025.1516664/full
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