ArticleAging cell2023
Physical activity is associated with slower epigenetic ageing-Findings from the Rhineland study.
Article in Aging cell, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 77 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
77 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 95 citations in OpenAlex.
- Epigenetic Age Acceleration as a Modifiable Public Health Target: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Environmental, Behavioral, and Social Determinants with Development of the MEAB-Index.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Pooled it
- Trial
- Epigenetic age deceleration reflects exercise-induced cardiorespiratory fitness improvements.GeroScience · 2026Article
- Associations between diet quality, epigenetic aging and epigenome in two population-based cohorts.Nature communications · 2026Article
- Exploring the role of β2-microglobulin in the relationship between physical activity and DNAm-predicted PhenoAge: Evidence from a population-based and mice single-cell RNA-sequencing study.Journal of advanced research · 2026Article
- Association of muscle mass and strength with blood-based epigenetic aging among middle-aged and older adults in the United States.GeroScience · 2026Article
- From Athletic Performance to Functional Ageing: Shared Genetic Architecture, Redox-Inflammatory Pathways and Functional Reserve Across the Life Course-A Narrative Review.Biomedicines · 2026Review
- Traditional Disease Risk Factors Outperform Epigenetic Clocks as Predictors of Non-Communicable Disease Morbidity in a Middle-Aged Cohort.Aging cell · 2026Article
- Diet Quality, Physical Activity, and Epigenetic Aging in the Finnish Working-Age Population.The Journal of nutrition · 2026Article
- Body mass index, physical activity, and epigenetic aging: a cross-population study.Clinical epigenetics · 2026Observational
- Twenty-Four-Hour Rest-Activity Rhythms and Epigenetic Age Acceleration in Middle-Aged and Older Adults.JAMA network open · 2026Article
- Bidirectional associations between biological aging, cardiovascular health, and cardiovascular risk: findings from the INSPIRE-T lifespan cohort.GeroScience · 2026Article
- Unraveling the complexity of skin's biological aging utilizing epigenetic clocks.Clinical epigenetics · 2026Article
- Divergent impacts of estradiol/testosterone reduction on biological aging: optimal HRT window in females recommended.Biology of sex differences · 2026Article
- The Future of Epigenetics: Emerging Technologies and Clinical Applications.ACS pharmacology & translational science · 2026Review
- Lifestyle change accelerates epigenetic ageing in King penguins.Nature communications · 2026Article
- The role of health behaviors in links between stress and epigenetic aging.Brain, behavior, & immunity - health · 2026Article
- Limitations of Daily Step Count for Assessing Health in Older Adults: The Need to Consider Walking Intensity.Epidemiologia (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Impact of lifestyle factors on quantitative motor and cognitive performance: insights from a longitudinal study on healthy ageing.GeroScience · 2026Article
- Premature aging in serious mental illness.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026Review
17 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Epigenetic ageing, i.e., age-associated changes in DNA methylation patterns, is a sensitive marker of biological ageing, a major determinant of morbidity and functional decline. We examined the association of physical activity with epigenetic ageing and the role of immune function and cardiovascular risk factors in mediating this relation. Moreover, we aimed to identify novel molecular processes underlying the association between physical activity and epigenetic ageing. We analysed cross-sectional data from 3567 eligible participants (mean age: 55.5 years, range: 30-94 years, 54.8% women) of the Rhineland Study, a community-based cohort study in Bonn, Germany. Physical activity components (metabolic equivalent (MET)-Hours, step counts, sedentary, light-intensity and moderate-to-vigorous intensity activities) were recorded with accelerometers. DNA methylation was measured with the Illumina HumanMethylationEPIC BeadChip. Epigenetic age acceleration (Hannum's age, Horvath's age, PhenoAge and GrimAge) was calculated based on published algorithms. The relation between physical activity and epigenetic ageing was examined with multivariable regression, while structural equation modeling was used for mediation analysis. Moreover, we conducted an epigenome-wide association study of physical activity across 850,000 CpG sites. After adjustment for age, sex, season, education, smoking, cell proportions and batch effects, physical activity (step counts, MET-Hours and %time spend in moderate-to-vigorous activities) was non-linearly associated with slower epigenetic ageing, in part through its beneficial effects on immune function and cardiovascular health. Additionally, we identified 12 and 7 CpGs associated with MET-Hours and %time spent in moderate-to-vigorous activities, respectively (p < 1 × 10
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.