Research

Energy balance

Sustained caloric restriction (approx. 12% reduction) in nonobese humans for 2 years is feasible and improves cardiometabolic risk factors (lipids, blood pressure, insulin sensitivity) and inflammatory markers (TNF-α, CRP) without adverse effects on quality of life.

For nonobese adults, reducing daily calorie intake by about 12% (roughly 250 calories) for two years is a safe and feasible strategy to significantly improve heart health markers (blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar) and reduce inflammation. This can be done without negatively impacting mood, hunger, or sexual function, provided the diet remains nutrient-dense.

StrongSupportsHIGH confidence
Sustained CR is feasible in nonobese humans. The effects of the achieved CR on correlates of human survival and disease risk factors suggest potential benefits for aging-related outcomes... CR had larger decreases in cardiometabolic risk factors and in daily energy expenditure adjusted for weight change, without adverse effects on quality of life.
Éric Ravussin et al. · The Journals of Gerontology Series A · 2015

Why this rating

Randomized Controlled Trial, 2-year duration, large sample size (n=218).

Source

A 2-Year Randomized Controlled Trial of Human Caloric Restriction: Feasibility and Effects on Predictors of Health Span and Longevity

Éric Ravussin et al. · The Journals of Gerontology Series A · 2015

DOI 10.1093/gerona/glv057

rct · n=218Cited 472×
Read the paper
DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →