Dr Moana Theodore: Dunedin Study director on the Kardashians using their research to determine real biological ages

The Kardashians season finale that aired last night featured some New Zealand research. 

Kim Kardashian, as well as her sister, mother and brother-in-law, all took a test that determined their real biological age, with Kardashian coming in 10 years younger than what she thought she was. 

The science behind the test is an algorithm developed by scientists of the Dunedin Study. 

The Dunedin Study director Dr Moana Theodore joined Heather du Plessis-Allan. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now.

Speaker 2 (00:00):
The Kardashians episode the season finale that screened last night
featured some New Zealand research.

Speaker 3 (00:05):
We're doing a blood task to check our biological age.
I feel pretty good about mine. It would be very
ego boosting if I was younger than my regular age.

Speaker 2 (00:16):
Kim Kardashian and her mum, and her sister and her
brother in law all took the test that determined their
real biological age. Kim Kai came in ten years younger
than what she thought she was. The science behind the
test is an algorithm that was developed by the scientists
of the Dunedin Study and the director there, doctor Moljuana Theodore,
is with us now, Hey, Muhammajuana.

Speaker 1 (00:34):
Look Kura, hello, hebba, thanks for having me on.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
Yeah, thank you. Did you watch the episode?

Speaker 1 (00:39):
Look? I did.

Speaker 2 (00:41):
Did you watch the thing? And how are you after that?

Speaker 1 (00:45):
I didn't watch the whole thing, but I definitely watched
the part where the Kardashians were told about their pace
of aging.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
Yeah, I thought, just strikes me that you might be
a little too smart for that show. All right, how
does this thing work?

Speaker 1 (00:57):
Yeah? So, in terms of the pace of age, it's
a tool that we created at the Dunedin Study, which
is a study of one thousand babies born fifty two
years ago that's been been run in Dunedin since then.
So and what we have been looking at over the
last two decades with our study members is biological aging

(01:20):
and so that is different to your chronological age your birthday.
Biological aging looks at your whole body. And through that
research we were able to create this tool called the
Dunedan pace and that is a pace of aging tool
which the Kardashians then used. So we've been able to
use the science. It's wonderful aging science that we do

(01:43):
here in New Zealand and in Dunedin to be able
to create these tools that then other people can use
around the world. We thought scientists and researchers, but here
we have the Kardashians using it as well.

Speaker 2 (01:55):
Can can I do it? Can people listening to the Steward?

Speaker 1 (01:58):
Yeah? So, I mean it's actually for scientists and researchers.
It is being used around the world and scientific studies
in the algorithm is freely available, so it's open access.
But for.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
You get a blood test done by somebody if I
want to do it.

Speaker 1 (02:14):
Right, Yes, that's right. So individuals though, in the public
that are interested to do it can get their blood.
So if you watch the episode of the Kardashians, they
used a pin practice to get the blood through the
same company that they used for true diagnostics, and they
will look at your data and then send your report.

(02:34):
So it is available online for individuals as well.

Speaker 2 (02:37):
Have you done it?

Speaker 1 (02:39):
Have I done it? Oh? Look I actually have not.

Speaker 2 (02:44):
Temptation.

Speaker 1 (02:47):
I do, I have planned to do it. I'm recently
I became director last year. But we do do a
lot of work with the pace of aging, the research itself,
and we know it's being used worldwide. Look get this
question of actually how can we support people to age
better and what sort of supports can we put in place.

(03:07):
So we've sort of been focusing a lot on the
science and of course at the moment we have our
wonderful study members who started coming back in at the
age fifty two assessments in April so fascinating.

Speaker 2 (03:18):
We want to thank you for your time appreciated, Doctor
Mjuana Theater, our Dunedin Study director. For more from Heather
Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to news talks. It'd be
from four pm weekdays or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio