Biomed Radio - Washington University School Of Medicine In St. Louis

Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis are recruiting volunteers for a study comparing the potential health and longevity benefits of the Mediterranean diet with a typical American diet. The study’s aim is to determine whether health and longevity are influenced more by healthy eating or by weight loss. People tend to lose weight when they consume a Mediterranean diet, but it’s been hard to determine whether their markers of health and longevity improve because they’re eating healthier food or whether those changes are the result of weight loss. IF YOU HOPE TO LIVE A LONGER LIFE, IS IT MORE IMPORTANT TO LOSE WEIGHT? OR TO EAT A HEALTHIER DIET? THAT’S A DIFFICULT QUESTION BECAUSE OFTEN THE TWO GO HAND-IN-HAND, BUT NUTRITION AND LONGEVITY RESEARCHERS AT WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IN ST. LOUIS ARE STUDYING WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PEOPLE CHANGE TO A HEALTHIER DIET WITHOUT LOSING WEIGHT TO COME UP WITH SOME ANSWERS. JIM DRYDEN REPORTS… SCIENTISTS KNOW WHEN ANIMALS EAT LESS