ABSTRACT
@#Introduction: The daily lifestyles of Thai Buddhist monks and Thai males differ due to Buddhist practices, which potentially affect telomere length. Telomeres are DNA compounds located at the ends of chromosomes that shorten with each cell division. This study investigated the difference in telomere length between Thai Buddhist monks and Thai males aged ≥40 years. Method: This was a cross-sectional study involving 100 Thai Buddhist monks aged ≥40 years who had been ordained for more than five years and 100 Thai males aged ≥40 years. General information and health information were assessed by questionnaire. Nutritional status was determined by body composition and blood chemistry parameters. Telomere length was measured by Monochrome Multiplex RealTime Quantitative PCR and expressed as T/S ratio. Result: Mean telomere length of Thai Buddhist monks was longer than that of Thai males (1.08±0.18 vs. 1.02±0.17; p<0.050). In both groups, the mean telomere length in subjects aged ≥60 years was shorter than that in subjects aged 40-59 years (p<0.010). Alcohol consumption, which affected Thai males (p<0.050), but meditation tend to slow down the shortening of telomeres (r=0.167; p<0.050) in both groups. Conclusion: Age was the parameter that affected telomere length the most. Furthermore, various factors in the Buddhist monk group, such as a peaceful lifestyle, meditation, non-alcohol consumption, and fewer underlying diseases, could explain for the longer telomere lengths in this group.
ABSTRACT
This survey was conducted in four districts in Khon Kaen Province as part of a multidisplinary research study performed by medical staff of three institutions, namely Chiang Mai, Songkhla and Khon Kaen universities, in collaboration with researchers from the Thailand Institute of Nuclear Technology and the Royal Institute of Thailand, with the aim of verifying the association between residential radon exposure and lung cancer risk. The study was carried out by measuring radon gas levels in the homes of proven cancer patients and in other homes as controls for the purpose of comparison. As the findings in both categories of residences showed that the radon levels did not exceed the safety threshold (148 Bq/m³), it was concluded that radon gas exposure in such a situation of low levels would unlikely be a significant cause of lung cancer.