Alcohol Abstinence and Accelerated Biological Aging Among Middle-Aged and Older Adults: Evidence From the UK Biobank

Objective  To investigate the longitudinal association between alcohol abstinence and accelerated biological aging among middle-aged and older adults and to explore the potential effect modifiers influencing the association.

Methods  Utilizing the clinico-biochemical and anthropometric data from the baseline and first repeat survey of the UK Biobank (UKB), we employed the Klemera and Doubal method (KDM) to construct the biological age (BA) and calculate BA acceleration. Change analysis based on multivariate linear regression models was employed to explore the association between changes in alcohol abstinence and changes in BA acceleration. Age, sex, smoking status, tea and coffee consumption, and body mass index were considered as the stratification factors for conducting stratified analysis.

Results  A total of 5 412 participants were included. Short-term alcohol abstinence (β=1.00, 95% confidence interval CI: 0.15-1.86) was found to accelerate biological aging when compared to consistent never drinking, while long-term abstinence (β=−0.20, 95% CI: −1.12-0.71) did not result in a significant acceleration of biological aging. Body mass index may be a potential effect modifier.

Conclusion  Short-term alcohol abstinence was associated with accelerated biological aging, but the effect gradually diminishes over extended periods of abstinence.