Lifestyle modification reduces phenotypic age in adults with prediabetes
A six-month randomized trial in Arab adults found structured diet and exercise reduced biological age alongside metabolic markers.
Frontiers in aging · Alenezi A et al. · Paper published 10 Sep 2026
In a randomized clinical trial of 181 Arab adults with prediabetes, researchers tested whether a structured lifestyle modification program affects biological aging. Participants were assigned either to a control group that received an educational brochure or to an intervention group with specific diet and exercise targets. The program prescribed a five percent weight reduction, 150 minutes of weekly moderate exercise, lower fat intake, and higher fiber intake. After six months, participants in the lifestyle group reduced their PhenoAge by 4.9 years, whereas control participants showed a 1.3-year increase. The lifestyle intervention also reduced waist circumference by 6.3 centimeters and lowered HbA1c by 0.4 percent. However, changes in secondary circulating biomarkers, including sclerostin and GDF-15, appeared to be time-dependent rather than specific to the lifestyle intervention.
Why it matters
The results demonstrate that standard behavioral interventions for diabetes prevention can improve composite clinical measures of biological aging. This reinforces the role of metabolic management in altering phenotypic aging trajectories.
Caveats
The study was limited to a six-month follow-up period in an Arab cohort with prediabetes. In addition, the intervention did not show a specific effect on circulating GDF-15 or sclerostin levels.
Written from the paper’s abstract, and every claim checked against it before publishing. Read the paper for the full methods and data.
The paper
Structured lifestyle modification and biological aging: effects on PhenoAge, sclerostin, and GDF-15 in arab adults with prediabetes
Alenezi A, Sabico S, Alnaami AM et al.
Frontiers in aging · 10 Sep 2026 · Peer-reviewed
- Relevance
- Core geroscience
- News value
- Notable
- Evidence
- Human trial
- Status
- Peer-reviewed
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