Low Calorie Diet Extends Life

April 21, 2004

A new study has determined that a diet curtailing caloric intake drastically reduced incidence of diseases leading to death by heart attack or stroke.

The study was conducted by researchers at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

"It's very clear from these findings that calorie restriction has a powerful, protective effect against diseases associated with aging," said lead researcher John O. Holloszy, M.D.. "We don't know how long each individual actually will end up living, but they certainly have a much longer life expectancy than average because they're most likely not going to die from a heart attack, stroke or diabetes."

Research on mice and rats has shown that stringent and consistent calorie restriction increases the animals' maximum lifespan by about 30 percent and protects them against cancer. This study is the first to examine individuals who have been on calorie restriction diets for a long period of time.

"These effects are all pretty dramatic," said Luigi Fontana, M.D., a research instructor and author of the study. "For the first time, we've shown that calorie restriction is feasible and has a tremendous affect on the risk for atherosclerosis and diabetes."

The team currently is conducting a study comparing calorie restriction to the average American diet. They ultimately hope to assess the long-term effects of calorie restriction on the biological markers of aging.