Eating less helps you live longer.
Eating less can help people live longer
Researchers have found that cutting calories slows down the ageing process and reduces the risk of suffering an early death.
Experts at Columbia University in New York analysed age-related damage on the DNA of 145 people who were instructed to go on a diet for two years.
They found that people who reduced food consumption were in better shape than a group of 75 individuals who ate as they pleased.
Scientists say that eating too much overworks the cells in the body and causes them to age faster but cutting calories can have a similar health boost to quitting smoking.
Study author Professor Daniel Belsky said: "Our findings provide evidence that slowing human ageing may be possible - but calorie restriction is probably not for everyone.
"Effect sizes were small but modest slowing of the pace of ageing can have profound effects on population health."