Suen, Wai Chiu. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2009. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 117-128). / Abstract also in Chinese. / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.ii / LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS --- p.iii / ABSTRACT --- p.v / 摘要 --- p.vii / LIST OF PUBLICATIONS --- p.viii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.ix / Chapter CHAPTER 1. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1. --- Nature of Telomeres / Chapter 1.1.1. --- Telomere structure --- p.1 / Chapter 1.1.2. --- Importance of telomeres --- p.2 / Chapter 1.1.3. --- Telomere length attrition during replicative senescence --- p.3 / Chapter 1.1.4. --- Telomere length maintenance --- p.6 / Chapter 1.1.5. --- "Oxidative stress, inflammatory process and telomere length" --- p.7 / Chapter 1.1.6. --- Telomere attrition rate --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2. --- "Age, Gender and Telomere Length" / Chapter 1.2.1. --- Age and telomere length --- p.10 / Chapter 1.2.2. --- Gender difference of telomere length --- p.10 / Chapter 1.3. --- Health Status and Telomere Length --- p.13 / Chapter 1.3.1. --- Coronary heart diseases --- p.13 / Chapter 1.3.2. --- Cancers --- p.14 / Chapter 1.3.3. --- Infections and chronic inflammation --- p.15 / Chapter 1.3.4. --- Bone mineral density --- p.16 / Chapter 1.3.5. --- Neurodegenerative diseases --- p.17 / Chapter 1.3.6. --- Frailty and mortality --- p.19 / Chapter 1.4. --- "Lifestyles, Environment and Telomere Length" --- p.21 / Chapter 1.4.1. --- Obesity --- p.21 / Chapter 1.4.2. --- Smoking --- p.22 / Chapter 1.4.3. --- Physical activity --- p.23 / Chapter 1.4.4. --- Diet --- p.23 / Chapter 1.4.5. --- Psychological stress --- p.24 / Chapter 1.4.6. --- Socioeconomic status --- p.24 / Chapter 1.5. --- Methods of Measuring Telomere Length --- p.27 / Chapter 1.6. --- Aims and Hypotheses of the Study --- p.31 / Chapter 1.6.1. --- Aims --- p.31 / Chapter 1.6.2. --- Hypotheses --- p.31 / Chapter CHAPTER 2. --- SUBJECTS AND METHODS --- p.33 / Chapter 2.1. --- Subjects Recruitment --- p.34 / Chapter 2.2. --- Interview --- p.34 / Chapter 2.3. --- Anthropometry --- p.35 / Chapter 2.4. --- DNA Extraction and Storage --- p.35 / Chapter 2.5. --- Telomere Length Measurement --- p.37 / Chapter 2.5.1. --- Terminal restriction fragment analysis --- p.37 / Chapter 2.5.2. --- Quantitative real-time PCR --- p.39 / Chapter 2.6. --- Self-perceived Health --- p.46 / Chapter 2.7. --- Medical History --- p.46 / Chapter 2.8. --- Bone Mineral Density --- p.47 / Chapter 2.9. --- Frailty Index --- p.47 / Chapter 2.10. --- Mortality Rate --- p.50 / Chapter 2.11. --- Smoking --- p.50 / Chapter 2.12. --- Physical Activity --- p.51 / Chapter 2.13. --- Dietary Intakes --- p.51 / Chapter 2.15. --- Socioeconomic Status --- p.52 / Chapter 2.16. --- Statistical Analysis --- p.53 / Chapter CHAPTER 3. --- RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS --- p.55 / Chapter 3.1. --- Demographics --- p.55 / Chapter 3.2. --- Telomere Length Distribution --- p.64 / Chapter 3.2.1. --- Age and telomere length --- p.64 / Chapter 3.2.2. --- Gender and telomere length --- p.68 / Chapter 3.3. --- Health Status and Telomere Length --- p.71 / Chapter 3.3.1. --- Self-perceived health --- p.71 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- History of diseases --- p.74 / Chapter 3.3.3. --- Bone mineral density --- p.80 / Chapter 3.3.4. --- Frailty index --- p.86 / Chapter 3.3.5. --- Mortality rate --- p.91 / Chapter 3.4. --- "Lifestyles, Environment and Telomere Length" --- p.94 / Chapter 3.4.1. --- Smoking --- p.94 / Chapter 3.4.2. --- Physical activity --- p.99 / Chapter 3.4.3. --- Diet --- p.104 / Chapter 3.4.4. --- Socioeconomic status --- p.109 / Chapter CHAPTER 4. --- CONCLUSIONS --- p.115 / Chapter 4.1. --- General conclusions --- p.115 / Chapter 4.2 --- The Significance of telomere length in the elderly --- p.115 / Chapter 4.3. --- Future Works and Prospect --- p.116 / References --- p.117