Insight into why low calorie diet can extend lifespan -- even if adopted later in life

ScienceDaily (2010-07-15) -- Research is providing new insight into why a restricted diet can lead to a longer lifespan and reduced incidence of age-related diseases for a wide variety of animals. Scientists have known for some time that a restricted diet can extend the lifespan of certain animals but this work shows how it affects aging mechanisms - and significantly has also shown that the effects occur even if the restricted diet is adopted later in life.