AsianScientist (Oct. 10, 2016) - Caloric restriction could help you to lose weight—and, as researchers in China have found—may be beneficial for those at risk of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) as well.

    According to their study published in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, mice placed on a low-calorie diet are less likely to develop an AAA, which is a localized enlargement of the main artery in the abdomen caused by a weakening of the blood vessel wall.

    The problem is that if the aneurysm bursts, the mortality rate can be as high as 80 percent. The high mortality of AAA rupture, coupled with limited management strategies, means that prevention is of prime importance for patients at risk.

    According to corresponding author Dr. Liu De-Pei from the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, it is relatively well-accepted that a calorie-restricted lifestyle is effective in reducing the risks of metabolic disorders, atherosclerosis and some cancers. Thus, the researchers set out to explore its effects on AAA in mouse models.

“We placed mice prone to developing AAA on a calorie-restricted diet for 12 weeks, and found that the animals were less likely to develop aneurysms than control mice fed a normal diet,” Liu, who led the research together with Dr. Chen Hou Zao, told Asian Scientist Magazine. “The calorie restricted mice also showed lower rates of AAA rupture and death.” Read more from Asian Scientist Magazine.