https://www.nature.com/articles/s43587-022-00357-y

Researchers in the lab of Daniel Belsky published new work today in Nature Aging on the effect of long-term caloric restriction on DNA methylation measures of biological aging in healthy adults. 
 
This work, co-led by Calen Ryan, PhD, emerges from the CALERIE trial. The Comprehensive Assessment of Long-term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy (CALERIE) trial is a randomized controlled trial in which 220 adults without obesity were randomized to either a 25% caloric restriction diet or to ad libitum control diet for two years.
 
The geroscience hypothesis proposes that therapy to slow or reverse molecular changes that occur with aging can delay or prevent multiple chronic diseases and extend healthy lifespan. Caloric restriction, defined as lessening caloric intake without depriving essential nutrients, results in changes in molecular processes that have been associated with aging, including DNA methylation, and is established to increase healthy lifespan in multiple species. 
 
Here, the Belsky team reports the results of a post hoc analysis of the influence of caloric restriction on DNA methylation measures of aging in blood samples from the CALERIE trial.
 
The intervention was shown to have slowed the pace of aging, as measured by the DunedinPACE DNA methylation algorithm. It is important because even modest slowing of the pace of aging can have profound effects on population health. 
 
To read the publication, see: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43587-022-00357-y.  Citation below.
 
This work was supported by the National Institute on Aging (R01AG061378).

CITATION: Waziry, R., Ryan, C.P., Corcoran, D.L. et al. Effect of long-term caloric restriction on DNA methylation measures of biological aging in healthy adults from the CALERIE trial. Nat Aging (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s43587-022-00357-y