A new study has found that consuming fewer calories can extend life span.
Research in mice has shown that genetic factors have a greater influence on life span than dietary habits.
Gerry Churchill, head of research conducted at the Jackson Laboratory in the United States, said that if you want to live longer, there are some things like diet that you can control.
In the study, nearly 1,000 genetically different mice were fed one of five different diets:
Consumption of any amount of food at any time
60 percent of the daily calorie requirement
80 percent of the daily calorie requirement
On one day of each week nothing was given to eat, while on the other days food was given as desired
No food was given on two consecutive days per week, while food was given ad libitum on the remaining days
These mice were monitored for the rest of their lives, with periodic blood tests.
The study found that mice that were fed without restriction lived an average of 25 months, while mice that were fed after intermittent fasting lived an average of 28 months.
On the other hand, mice that ate 80 percent of the required amount of daily calories lived for 30 months, while those that ate 60 percent lived for 34 months.
Life spans varied in each group. For example, mice that consumed the fewest calories lived anywhere from a few months to 4.5 years.
