Smaller meals leads to longer life

Tuesday 14th July 2009 HCFI: The less you eat the more you live is an ancient ayurveda saying. A new study in monkeys has further strengthened restricted diets might increase longevity, said Dr KK Aggarwal President Heart Care Foundation of India and Director IMAAKN Sinha Institute.

The study in July 10 issue of Science that  in a primate species, calorie restriction leads to a slowdown of the aging process -- showing increased survival, resistance to disease, less brain atrophy and less muscle loss.  Previous research had shown that calorie restriction can increase survival and stave off many diseases in yeast, worms, flies and, in some strains of mice.

The new, two-decade-long study ultimately involved 76 rhesus monkeys, all of whom started the study as adults (aged 7 to 14 years). Eighty percent of the original monkeys eating fewer calories are still alive, versus half of those in the control group. Among the benefits enjoyed by the lower-calorie group: fewer cancers, less cardiovascular disease, better preserved brain health (especially in regions of the brain involved in motor control and memory) and no diabetes whatsoever, despite this being a common problem in monkeys.