Does food intake determine life expectancy? American research: reduce appetite by 1/3, or extend life by 20 years, is it credible?

The 54-year-old Uncle Lu has always thought that his physical fitness is very good. He saw that his colleagues in the same unit did not have this disease or that disease. He has not had any major problems for so many years.

Although he has always felt bloated and uncomfortable since 2 months ago, he also thought it was old age and indigestion, so he didn't take it seriously. Until last month, my stomach hurt so badly that I couldn't take it anymore, and was supported by my wife to the hospital for an examination.

Hearing the test results, Uncle Lu felt as if he had been struck by lightning— he was diagnosed with advanced gastric cancer .

"In retrospect, I often eat and drink a lot, especially pork belly. I often invite a few friends to drink wine and eat barbecue on weekends. Sometimes I will continue to eat when I feel full. Coupled with early detection of symptoms, I didn't care about it, and I did it myself!" Uncle Lu regretted it endlessly.

1. Does appetite determine life expectancy? Eating this amount can really prolong life

There is an old saying: "Each meal is seven minutes full, and you can live healthy and old." Is diet really the key to longevity?

In order to reveal the health mechanism of diet, the National Institute on Aging and the University of Wisconsin conducted a 20-year observational study on rhesus monkeys (93% similar to human genes) as research objects.

The study found that monkeys whose daily food intake was reduced by 30% had the longest lifespan of 43 years, equivalent to a 20-year life extension , and these long-lived monkeys did not show any signs of aging when they were around 30 years old. The mortality rate of monkeys that ate freely was 3 times that of the monkeys that were controlled to eat, as high as 37%.

And modern research has also discovered the relationship between appetite and lifespan. The healthiest amount of appetite is-seven percent full.

Published in the journal Science, a team led by Professors Carla B. Green and Joseph S. Takahashi from the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in the United States compared the effects of unlimited feeding on mice and calorie control (30% less calories than normal diet) mice.

It was found that the lifespan of the latter mice was extended by 10%, and even more powerful, if the calorie-controlled mice were upgraded to a restricted diet in the evening, the lifespan of the mice was extended by 35% . It can be seen that the correct timing of eating and caloric restriction have an additive effect on the lifespan of mice.

2. I can’t help being greedy all the time, or I will face these consequences

In January 2022, published in eClinicalMedicine, a related study on the effect of dietary calorie restriction on the metabolic health of non-obese people, the study conducted 12% dietary calorie restriction on adults aged 21-50, in up to 12 months And after 24 months, participants' insulin resistance and diabetes risk improved .

In other words, for the general population, "keep your mouth shut" and their health level has improved significantly. And people who can’t help being greedy and can’t control their appetite should pay attention to three consequences:

1. Eat too much

Indulging in eating is always worrying about wasting food. Every time you eat more, your stomach will get bigger and bigger, and you will also invite more diseases.

Overeating for a long time will cause a "heavy load" on the stomach, which can cause indigestion and induce gastritis; an overeating diet will also affect the endocrine system, leading to elevated blood sugar and the development of diabetes; excessive calories will also increase the risk of obesity and accelerate Joint wear and tear, aging, resulting in bone and joint disease.

2. Eat too salty

Malatang, boiled fish, braised pork trotters, Kung Pao chicken… Although these "heavy taste" foods are enjoyable, they are often high in oil, sugar, and too spicy. The human body absorbs too much oil, it is easy to increase blood cholesterol and cardiovascular risk.

A high-sugar diet is not only easy to gain weight and damage teeth, but also increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases; a high-salt diet is also a dangerous inducement for high blood pressure and cardiovascular diseases, laying many "landmines" for health.

3. Love to eat big fish and big meat

High-end delicacies from mountains and seas, delicacies, and delicacies with big fish and big meat have added a lot of atmosphere to the Chinese New Year.

But if you often eat these delicacies, the consequences will be abnormal blood lipids, blood pressure, and blood sugar, which will lead to various chronic diseases, and finally understand that "plain is the truth".

3. A person can only eat 9 tons of food in a lifetime?

During the epidemic, many people are most worried about the food problem. Whenever there is a sign of trouble, they will stock up on the refrigerator, thinking that eating more will give them enough resistance. However, there is another saying on the Internet, saying that "a person can only eat 9 tons of food in a lifetime, and whoever finishes eating will go first", and even put on an experimental proof.

This statement is derived from a study that believes that after eating, people will cause certain damage to the body, and this damage is irreversible and will be superimposed with age, so it is proposed that there is a limit on food intake in a person's life.

According to the whole deduction, if the food intake is reduced to one-third of the normal, can the life expectancy be extended by 3 times, which is obviously unscientific. If people restrict their diet, it may cause malnutrition and affect health and life expectancy. Obviously, this statement is not reliable.

Gu Zhongyi, director of the Beijing Nutritionist Association, also pointed out that according to the recommendations of the "Pagoda of Balanced Diet for Chinese Residents", a person eats about 1-2 kilograms of food a day, and it takes about 25 years for 9 tons . Cumulative life expectancy, a person eats about 30 tons of rice in his lifetime. Therefore, the claim of 9 tons is obviously not scientific.

What's more, everyone's body shape is different, their gender is different, their genetic metabolism is different, and their energy requirements are also different. Although eating less can prevent obesity, it should be based on the needs of different people.

So how do you better control your food intake?

1. Change the tableware to one size smaller

Some studies have found that when free refills are allowed, the fewer things that can be placed on the plate, the less people eat. Therefore, if you want to control your diet, you should start changing the plates and bowls that hold the rice.

2. Slow down your eating speed

Slow down the speed of eating, and give the gastrointestinal tract a reaction time by chewing fully, which can not only help better digestion, but also improve the feeling of fullness after eating.

3. Concentrate on eating

When eating, if you play with your mobile phone or watch TV, you will be easily distracted, and you will eat more without knowing it. So when you eat, you should eat well.

Appetite control is very important, but it must be based on sufficient nutrition in the body, or a relatively stable mood. If you feel bad or have hypoglycemia due to forced "hungry", it will be detrimental to your health, and you will only be revengeful next time eat more.

References:

[1] "Science": Seven-point fullness really prolongs life, and you must pay attention to eating time! Scientists have discovered that eating when metabolically active and reducing calorie intake by 30% can extend the lifespan of mice by 35%

[2] "Eat a little less each time, because life is saved from the mouth!" ". Health Times. 2022-03-18

[3] "A person can only eat 9 tons of food in this lifetime? Whoever finishes eating first goes first? ". Nutritionist Gu Zhongyi. 2019-07-17

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