Interaction between mental and cardiometabolic health in relation to telomere length among university staff in Australia.
BACKGROUND Chronic psychological stress and poor cardiometabolic health are major public health concerns that can accelerate cellular ageing, yet their combined impact on shorter telomere length (TL) - a biomarker of cellular ageing - remains poorly understood in occupational settings. This study examined their associations and potential interactions among university staff in Australia. METHODS TL was measured from blood leukocytes. Cardiometabolic indicators included adiposity, blood pressure (BP), lipid profile, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), insulin resistance, C-reactive protein, and cortisol. Psychological stress, burnout, well-being, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) were assessed using validated questionnaires, and wearable devices captured sleep and nocturnal autonomic nervous system activity. Correlation, multiple linear regression, and moderator analyses were used to analyse the data. RESULTS Among 126 participants [65% female, mean age 48.84 (± 9.43) years], the average TL was 7.06 ± 1.00 kilobase. While visceral fat, systolic BP, and FPG were associated with TL, these associations were attenuated in age-adjusted models. Psychological variables were not directly associate with the TL; however, burnout (B = -0.26 [95% CI: -0.51, -0.01], p = .042), sleep-related impairment (B = -0.02 [95% CI: -0.04, 0.0004], p = .046), and HRQoL-mental component (B = 0.02 [95% CI: 0.001, 0.04], p = .034) significantly moderated the association between FPG and TL. CONCLUSIONS Age was the primary correlate of TL. Burnout, sleep-related impairment, and mental quality of life may moderate the association between FPG and TL. These exploratory findings suggest that addressing both psychological and cardiometabolic health may support TL in working adults. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION ACTRN12625000134426.