The role of nutrition in the prevention of common diseases

This study examines the role of diet during adolescence and adulthood in preventing common diseases. In younger adults who have not yet developed a disease, the disease risk is assessed by estimating biological aging with so-called epigenetic clocks. Epigenetic clocks have been developed to predict morbidity and the risk of premature death.

The study utilizes genetically informed designs, such as twin models and computational genetics methods. The data used in the study are the Finnish twin cohort data and the data generated by the Central Finland Biobank recall survey (BioRecall).

Funding
Juho Vainio Foundation (2024, 2026, 2027)

Research group
Principal investigator
Suvi Ravi, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Jyväskylä, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences and Gerontology research center

Elina Sillanpää, Associate Professor, University of Jyväskylä, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences; Wellbeing Services County of Central Finland
Anna Kankaanpää, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Jyväskylä, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences ja Gerontology research center
Laura Joensuu, Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Jyväskylä, Faculty of Sport and Health Sciences ja Gerontology research center; Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare (THL)
Miina Ollikainen, Senior Researcher, Minerva Foundation Institute for Medical Research, Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM)
Jaakko Kaprio, Professor, Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM)
Leonie H. Bogl, Researcher, Bern University of Applied Sciences; Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM)

Project website