(CNN) - The secret to a longer life could be found in your diet.
That’s according to a new study which suggests that people don't need a Fountain of Youth, just a small change in diet.
Research published in the journal, Cell Metabolism indicates a reduced-calorie diet can slow the metabolic process that leads to aging and protect against age-related diseases.
After a series of pilot programs, researchers at three universities ran randomized, controlled trials, the first such test of calorie reduction in human beings.
Participants were then divided into groups to compare methods.
One group tested a diet-only calorie reduction, another tested exercise only, and the last group tested half-diet, half exercise.
Participants in the diet-only group lost an average of 20 pounds the first year and maintained that weight loss in the second.
Researchers used the amount of weight lost to estimate the total reduction in calories and said the participants achieved a 15 percent calorie restriction.
One scientist cautions the study only shows a correlation between caloric intake and longevity. More research is required to determine exactly *how* calorie restriction prevents aging.
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