"It's very clear from these studies that caloric restriction has a powerful, protective effect against diseases associated with aging," says co-investigator John O. Holloszy, M.D., professor of medicine. "We don't know how long each individual will end up living, but they certainly have a longer life expectancy than average because they're most likely not going to die from a heart attack, stroke or diabetes. And if, in fact, their hearts are aging more slowly, it's conceivable they'll live for a very long time."
Members of the Caloric Restriction Optimal Nutrition Society try to consume between 10 and 25 percent fewer calories than average Americans while still maintaining proper nutrition. Fontana says that's a very important point. People on this type of diet don't simply consume less food. "Caloric restriction does not mean eating half a hamburger and half a pack of French fries and drinking half of a sugary beverage," he says. "These people have very good nutrition. They eliminate calories by eating nutrient-dense foods."
He says caloric restriction tends to resemble a traditional Mediterranean diet, which includes a wide variety of vegetables, olive oil, beans, whole grains, fish and fruit. The diet avoids refined and processed foods, soft drinks, desserts, white bread and other sources of so-called "empty" calories.
But Fontana and Holloszy don't believe that caloric restriction is for everyone. Instead, they recommend a moderate reduction in calories, combined with moderate, regular exercise.
"If you change the quality of your diet by increasing the servings of nutrient-dense food and reducing -- actually, it would be better to slowly eliminate -- all of the servings of 'empty' calorie foods, you improve your chances of living a healthier and longer life," Fontana says.
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Contact: Jim Dryden
jdryden@wustl.edu
314-286-0110
Washington University School of Medicine
12-Jan-2006