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People go on diets a variety of reasons including health reasons or trying to fit into new summer beach cloths. If you are going to go on a weight loss diet program, think about the reasons for why you want to do it in the first place. Now ask yourself, are you going to "Lose weight for Health or Cosmetic Reasons?" But now, there is another reason why it is important to eat less and lose weight. According to a recent study by scientists in the United States by eating less and losing weight, reducing our calorie intake we can increase our life span. By restricting calorie consumption over long periods scientists show that it increases the lifespan of rodents and other short-lived species, but it has never been shown to occur in humans. A team at Louisiana State University studied four groups of 48 men and women over six months, who were given varying amounts to eat. In the "very low-calorie" group, subjects were given 890 kilocalories a day until they lost 15 per cent of their weight, followed by a weight maintenance diet. Scientists found evidence of changes in the body that have been linked to prolonging human life. The studies show that sustained calorie restriction caused a reversal in two of three previously reported biomarkers of longevity, a decrease in energy expenditure and a reduction in DNA fragmentation, reflecting less DNA damage," a paper in the journal Jama said. While these studies are preliminary longer term studies are needed insure prolonged effects on the human ageing process. Scientists found that a strict low-calorie diet can decrease DNA damage linked with aging. During the study people ate as little as 890 calories a day for six months. Their insulin levels fell and metabolisms slowed changes that are thought to increase longevity. The findings are provocative, but preliminary. Longer-term research will try to sort out whether such changes can meaningfully extend people's lives, said senior author Eric Ravussin of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center at Louisiana State University. "They are the first proof that what has been observed in rodents seems to be also working in humans," Ravussin said. The latest study appears in Journal of the American Medical Association. "It's very exciting," said Dr. Evan Hadley, director of the NIA's geriatrics and clinical gerontology program. "It's a step forward but not the whole journey," said Hadley, whose agency is part of the NIH. Dietary guidelines for weight maintenance recommend about 2,000 to 3,000 calories a day, depending on age, gender and activity level, with the higher amount generally for very active men. Non-liquid weight loss diets used in the study were high in fruits and vegetables with less than 30 percent fat. Blood tests showed substantial decreases in the amount of age-related DNA damage in each of the three dieting groups, compared with their initial levels. That kind of microscopic damage is linked to cancer and other age-related ailments, but it's unknown whether the small changes seen in the study would affect the study volunteers' disease risks. Insulin levels also decreased after six months in all three reduced calorie groups. Core body temperature also dipped slightly in two low-calorie groups but not in the liquid-diet or control group. The results show that the diets are safe, and not impossible to follow, Hadley said. Everyone wants and desires to lose weight. We all have different reasons why we should lose weight and try to decide on a diet. You have to know what these reasons are and who to ask to help you in achieving all your weight loss and health goals. Now if you want live longer just go on the weight loss diet of your choice. It's as easy as that. As they say, "Just Do It"!
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