In order to determine the effects of nutrition on life expectancy, 48 Labrador puppies were paired according to their sex and age.
From the age of 8 weeks to the age of one year, one of the two puppies of each pair was fed an adapted food, served “ad libitum”, while the second puppy received only 75% of the food spontaneously eaten by the first one. In the following years, the dogs were fed a food adapted to their age. The dogs issued from the “ ad libitum puppies” were fed a quantity of food sufficient to remain at their optimum weight, while the others were still fed 75% of this quantity. This moderate alimentary restriction allowed a clear increase of the life expectancy of the dogs from the second group. It also delayed the apparition of chronic affections related to age.
Source: KEALY (RD) J. Am. Vet. Med. Ass 220, 1315-1320, 2003.
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