Dieting, Weight Loss and slimming news

Tuesday, 4th November 2008

Cutting calories below recommended levels 'could increase life ex

Cutting the amount of calories an adult consumes in a day below the levels recommended by experts could help people to live longer, it has been claimed.

Despite the general consensus that an adult male should consume 2,000 calories every day, the US-based Calorie Restriction Society alleges that this is too much and that people can thrive on much less, the Associated Press reports.

Christiaan Leeuwenburgh, spokesperson for the University of Florida's College of medicine, said: "In rich countries, 90 per cent of the population probably eats, on average, about 50 per cent too much. Even if they were to reduce their calorie intake by half, they would still only be at baseline, the optimal balance between energy input and output."

Research from the university showed that cutting calorie intake could reduce diabetes, cancer and ageing.

Anyone following the diet is advised to consume around 1,800 calories, or between 1,200 and 1,800 for women, with junk food banned and highly nutritious food such as fruit recommended.

However, the prospect of such a calorie-prohibitive diet may be off-putting for those who have struggled with diets in the past. These people could consider using a weight-loss supplement such as Night & Day, which has been used by approximately six million people throughout Europe.