Abstract

Caloric restriction (CR) and timing of meals rather than the quality of food consumed have gradually increased in popularity. Whether these approaches are safe and effective ways to improve human health, slow the aging process, and increase longevity continues to be investigated. The idea that CR extends life span was first introduced in the early 1900s when Francis Peyton Rous reported that CR blunted tumor growth and development in female rats and extended lifespan. Since then, subsequent studies have reported similar observations that CR increases longevity in a wide range of species, including yeast, worms, spiders, flies, fish, and nonhuman primates. This chapter will discuss recent findings on CR in human health and aging and will explore the epigenetic mechanisms by which CR slows the aging process. This book chapter will thus examine the different types of CR and how CR regulates phenotypes through DNA methylation, histone acetylation, and microRNAs (miRNAs).