Scientists research why eating less extends lifespan

Scientists from the University of Wisconsin-Madison have been researching why eating less extends lifespan.

In an online issue of the journal Cell, the researchers detail how a molecular pathway is a key determinant of the ageing process.

This helps to explain what it is that contributes to ageing, but also leaves open the opportunity to devise interventions and drugs that could prevent this and lead to better health in old age.

Tomas Prolla, a University of Wisconsin -Madison professor of genetics and a senior author of the new Cell paper, said: "This study is the first direct proof for a mechanism underlying the anti- ageing effects we observe under caloric restriction."

Back in the summer, scientists at Newcastle University found that a very low calorie diet can help to extend lifespan as it allows cells to replicate for longer and can also reduce damage being caused to the protective ends of chromosomes.

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