Is exposure to pesticides associated with biological aging? A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: Exposure to pesticides is a risk factor for various diseases, yet its association with biological aging remains unclear. We aimed to systematically investigate the relationship between pesticide exposure and biological aging. 

Methods: PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were searched from inception to August 2023. Observational studies investigating the association between pesticide exposure and biomarkers of biological aging were included. Three-level random-effect meta-analysis was used to synthesize the data. Risk of bias was assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. 

Results: Twenty studies evaluating the associations between pesticide exposure and biomarkers of biological aging in 10,368 individuals were included. Sixteen reported telomere length and four reported epigenetic clocks. Meta-analysis showed no statistically significant associations between pesticide exposure and the Hannum clock (pooled β = 0.27; 95 %CI: −0.25, 0.79), or telomere length (pooled Hedges'g = −0.46; 95 %CI: −1.10, 0.19). However, the opposite direction of effects for the two outcomes showed an indication of possible accelerated biological aging. After removal of influential effect sizes or low-quality studies, shorter telomere length was found in higher-exposed populations. 

Conclusion: The existing evidence for associations between pesticide exposure and biological aging is limited due to the scarcity of studies on epigenetic clocks and the substantial heterogeneity across studies on telomere length. High-quality studies incorporating more biomarkers of biological aging, focusing more on active chemical ingredients of pesticides and accounting for potential confounders are needed to enhance our understanding of the impact of pesticides on biological aging.