Caloric restriction (CR), the significant decrease in calorie intake, is a strategy for improving health and increasing lifespan. Increased lifespan has been observed in many types of calorie-restricted animals, including rhesus monkeys. Significantly, restricting calories does not only lengthen lifespan, but also healthspan (the period of healthy living before the onset of age-related diseases, such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and some cancers).
This blogpost from LifeExtension.com aims to explain caloric restriction as a tool to slow down aging.