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Noted: In one experiment, a group of rhesus monkeys is on a major diet. For nearly two decades they have been taking in a good 30 percent fewer calories than their well-fed brothers and sisters.
They are the centerpiece of a National Institutes of Health study at the University of Wisconsin on whether or not CR- calorie restriction – makes them healthier and extends their lives. To maintain their sterile environment, the 60 Minutes team had to suit up to visit them with Ricki Colman, the “project leader.”
The control animals are nearing the end of a typical monkey lifespan, about 27 years, and major differences in their overall health are becoming clear. The skinny monkeys actually look younger, their coats are shinier, and fewer have arthritis.
And the chunky monkeys? Many have diabetes, and a significantly higher number have cancer and heart disease.
Pound for pound, Colman says the lighter monkeys do better.
Dr. Richard Weindruch, who heads up the study, believes that calorie restriction turns on these monkeys’ genetic survival switch. A hungry life seems to lead to a longer life.