Freitas-Simoes, Tania-MarisaCofán, MontserratBlasco , MASoberón, NoraForonda, MiguelSerra-Mir, MercèRoth, IreneValls-Pedret, CintaDoménech, MónicaPonferrada-Ariza, ElenaCalvo, CarlosRajaram, SujathaSabaté, JoanRos, EmilioSala-Vila, Aleix2019-09-182019-09-182018-12-04J Acad Nutr Diet. ;118(12):2254-2268.2072-6643http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12105/8357Randomized controlled trials on diet and shortening of leukocyte telomere length (LTL) mostly focus on marine-derived n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). Walnuts are a sustainable source of n-3 PUFA. We investigated whether inclusion of walnuts (15% of energy) in the diet for 2 years would maintain LTL in cognitively healthy elders (63⁻79 years old) compared to a control group (habitual diet, abstaining from walnuts). This opportunistic sub-study was conducted within the Walnuts and Healthy Aging study, a dual-centre (Barcelona, Spain and Loma Linda University, California) parallel trial. A sub-set of the Barcelona site participants were randomly assigned to the walnut (n = 80) or control group (n = 69). We assessed LTL at baseline and at 2 years and we conducted repeated-measures ANCOVA with 2 factors: time (baseline, 2 years) and group (control, walnut) and their interaction. Adjusted means (95% confidence interval) of LTL (in kb) in controls were 7.360 (7.084,7.636) at baseline and 7.061 (6.835,7.288) after 2 years; corresponding values in the walnut group were 7.064 (6.807,7.320) and 7.074 (6.864,7.284). The time × intervention interaction was nearly significant (p = 0.079), suggestive of a trend of walnut consumption in preserving LTL. This exploratory research finding should be confirmed in trials with adequate statistical power.engVoRhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/agingalpha-linolenic acidbiomarkern-3 PUFAnutsAgedAgingBiomarkersCaliforniaFemaleHumansLeukocytesMaleMiddle AgedSpainTelomerealpha-Linolenic AcidDietJuglansAtribución-NoComercial-CompartirIgual 4.0 Internacional305180501012190710.3390/nu101219072072-6643Nutrientsopen access