# LA-Aging Diversity Supplement

> **NIH NIH U01** · WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2022 · $3,011

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
OVERALL – PROJECT SUMMARY
Obesity and type 2 diabetes are described as accelerators aging. There have been numerous attempts across
decades to develop and validate measureable constructs for accelerated aging. We have conducted research
supported by two prior successful NIDDK-funded diversity supplements to develop and apply deficit
accumulation frailty indices to the first 8 years of follow-up in the Look AHEAD cohort, the span of time when
all participants were assigned to active interventions. This has been a productive enterprise. We have
published that:
 The Look AHEAD intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) created a buffer against increases in FI, roughly
 proportional to one year of aging in the control group
 Among participants with relatively low FI at baseline, the ILI resulted in lower incidence of major
 cardiovascular disease events, however among participants with the highest FI scores at baseline, the ILI
 was associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular events
 The Look AHEAD ILI was equally ineffectual in preserving cognitive function across the full range of
 baseline FI
 Greater increases in FI across 8 years was associated with subsequent increased risk for mortality and
 poorer trajectories of physical and cognitive function
We propose to conduct a series of secondary data analyses, using the extensive data resources provided by
the Look AHEAD cohort, 1) to extend the deficit accumulation FI originally developed by Look AHEAD through
year 8 to the close-out of the Look AHEAD Extension (Year 18), producing FIE; 2) to develop a statistical
bridge linking this FI with one being developed by the parent grant (LA-Aging) for years 19-23 of follow-up
(FIA); and 3) to examine how trajectories of FIE are related to the prevalence of geriatric syndromes in the Look
AHEAD Aging study. If successful, this project will provide a validated marker of long-term biological aging that
can serve as an outcome measure in clinical trials and a tool for identifying factors that slow aging among older
adults with type 2 diabetes and obesity.
 A complementary goal of this project is to further the development of Johnathan Ross, a promising
undergraduate student at Winston-Salem State University, a historically black public research university. His
primary mentor will be Dr. Mark Espeland, who is experienced and well-suited for this role. We respond to PA-
21-071 Research Supplements to Promote Diversity in Health-Related Research. Summary of Planned
Contributions to the Look AHEAD Program. This request is attached to 1U01AG073697-01: Action for Health
in Diabetes (Look AHEAD) Extended Follow-up (LA-Aging) Mark A. Espeland, PhD, Dual Principal
Investigator.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10592204
- **Project number:** 3U01AG073697-01S1
- **Recipient organization:** WAKE FOREST UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** MARK Andrew ESPELAND
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $3,011
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-08-01 → 2026-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10592204

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10592204, LA-Aging Diversity Supplement (3U01AG073697-01S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-12 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10592204. Licensed CC0.

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