{
  "abstract": "BACKGROUND: Aging processes could be influenced by diet. However, the extent to which dietary protein intake is associated with biological aging (BA) markers remains poorly characterized. OBJECTIVES: Here, we evaluated the association between dietary protein intake and BA markers and explored the extent to which BA markers mediate the association between protein intake and all-cause mortality. METHODS: We analyzed data from NHANES cycles 1999-2000 and 2001-2002. Dietary protein intake was expressed in g/kg/day. BA was estimated with TL, AnthropoAge, PhenoAge, and the Klemera-Doubal Method (KDM). Accelerated aging was defined as TL <25th percentile of the weighted population distribution and as residuals from BA markers regressed against CA. Survey-weighted logistic and linear regression models were fitted. Mortality correlates were evaluated using cause-specific Cox proportional hazards models and mediation analyses. RESULTS: Among 6,249 adults (median age: 45 [IQR: 34-58], 52% women), we found that participants in the highest protein intake quintile (>1.40 g/kg/day) had a lower adjusted likelihood of having accelerated aging by TL (OR: 0.40, 95% CI: 0.22-0.73), PhenoAge (OR: 0.54, 95% CI: 0.32-0.92), and KDM (OR: 0.53, 95% CI: 0.32-0.87), compared with those in the lowest quintile (<=0.62 g/kg/day). Higher dietary protein intake was associated with a lower hazard of all-cause mortality, and BA metrics partially mediated these associations. CONCLUSIONS: Higher dietary protein intake was associated with a lower likelihood of accelerated aging and reduced mortality, with the latter association partially mediated by BA markers. Our findings suggest that dietary protein intake could influence healthy aging. Keywords: Protein, Aging, Accelerated aging",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [
    "INSTITUTO NACIONAL DE CARDIOLOGIA"
  ],
  "article_type": "PUBLISHAHEADOFPRINT",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 8,
  "authors": [
    {
      "affs": [
        0
      ],
      "name": "J. Reyes Barrera"
    },
    {
      "name": "O. Y. Bello-Chavolla"
    },
    {
      "name": "C. A. Fermin-Martinez"
    },
    {
      "name": "A. Kammar Garcia"
    },
    {
      "name": "N. A. Sanchez-Ortiz"
    },
    {
      "name": "R. Reyes Reyes"
    },
    {
      "name": "F. E. Garcia Arroyo"
    },
    {
      "name": "N. E. Antonio Villa"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1gqv3j0sp3096.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.64898/2026.10.27.26366537",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.27.26366537v1.full",
  "id": "1gqv3j0sp3096",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.27.26366537v1",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "CC-BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_label": "CC BY-NC-ND",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "medrxiv",
      "nutrition"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.27.26366537v1.full.pdf",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-10-27",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1gqv3j0sp3096.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:22:04Z",
      "native_id": "10.64898/2026.10.27.26366537",
      "source": "medrxiv",
      "url": "https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.10.27.26366537v1"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "medrxiv:nutrition",
      "subfield": "nutrition"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Association of dietary protein intake with accelerated biological aging markers and all-cause mortality in adults",
  "title_text": "Association of dietary protein intake with accelerated biological aging markers and all-cause mortality in adults",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-31T00:20:38Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/1gqv3j0sp3096",
  "venue": "medRxiv",
  "versions": []
}