Monkeys Stay Slimmer and Younger on Low-Calorie Diets
For years, Donkey Kong has been trying to snuff out Super Mario, but with no luck. So maybe he should try cutting back on his bananas.
A new study found rhesus monkeys--a distant cousin of Donkey Kong--stayed healthier and more youthful on a calorie-restricted diet.
The research, first reported on in 2006, tells the tale of two rhesus monkeys, Canto age 27, and Owen age 29, both with two very different diets.
Monkeys like Owen were allowed to feed as they pleased with no restrictions, and 20 years later poor Owen looks like a wreck. But, monkeys fed a calorie-restricted diet, like Canto, had no diabetes and less incidences of heart disease and cancer.
Now, calorie-restrictive diets may also work for people, but humans live longer than monkeys, so scientists can only make approximations about the potential benefits.
Owen looks like the kind of monkey you could go to the bar with. Canto could be the designated driver.
Via NewsDaily.
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Doesn't surprise me one bit. I think the evidence at this point is overwhelming that eating within a reasonable calorie limit keeps you healthy.
My only question is: How do they define "low-calorie?" Is it reasonable, or super low?
ReplyI remember seeing something about this on Dateline maybe 10 or 15 years ago ... I wonder if there has been any follow-up with the people that were interviewed following this lifestyle back then.
ReplyI read about this study as well. I believe "calorie restricted" was defined as 30% fewer calories than normal. The results make sense to me; it would make sense that in times of famine, animals (and people) put more energy into maintaining the parent organism instead of focusing on procreation. So you end up with fewer generations with more years in between them so the population levels can be maintained on a smaller food supply.
ReplyMaybe it also has to do what types of food the monkeys actually ate as well. I did not read the whole study but maybe the foods the healthier monkey ate were filled with all those great anti cancer, antioxidants we read about all the time... I am sure calories were part of the equation but I guess it more has to do with the types of food they ate.
ReplyI think you've got a good point Jody. Foods that are naturally low in calories are generally fruits and vegetables. And fruits and veggies are loaded with antioxidants and phytocompounds that probably help with antiaging and cancer prevention.
ReplyI agree with you Jonathan. Its simple and few people get it yet. Eat simply, eat healthy and natural. What's so damn hard to understand. We don't need studies and articles written, wasting time and money to understand this fact.
ReplyThis does make sense to me in a lot of ways, after all the healthier the foods we eat, the healthier we are in general.
When I was obese, I feasted on junk and looked like junk. When I lost weight the healthy way, I was more healthy and looked it!
ReplyHello. You may want to research this topic further.
http://junkfoodscience.blogspot.com/
This is a researcher who actually breaks down the studies of reports in the news. The misrepresentation by the media of the results of this study are a little scary. If you link to this blog you may find that you change your post. Relying on the media for your "science" may not be the best option. Especially since you seem to be influencing others by the stories you tell.
ReplyDH,
Thank you so much for posting this informative link. While I do believe there may be some truth in a calorie restricted diet may leading to increased longevity, I don't find this study to be compelling in the slightest (especially considering that they had to drop data points to get the numbers they wanted. That's just plain bad science).
ReplyAs for the pictures above, I've worked with a bunch of monkeys in my life. Some monkeys, like people, are just really really ugly, regardless of how much they eat. That's the deal with poor Canto above, I'm sorry to say :)