Discovering How Food and Nutrition Affect Longevity

Dear Colleagues,

The term longevity describes the ability to live a long life beyond the species-specific average age at death. It is indirectly dependent on the biological aging process, which refers to the progressive decline in the ability to maintain physiological integrity, leading to functional impairment and an increased likelihood of death.

Some of the well-documented hallmarks of aging include genomic instability, telomere degradation, epigenetics changes, cellular senescence, chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, deteriorated autophagy, and intestinal flora (dysbiosis) imbalance. The above mechanisms are associated both directly and indirectly with nutritional factors, including specific nutrients, eating behaviors, patterns, and practices, such as fasting and caloric restriction, vegetarianism, and Mediterranean diet. It is also known that the genetically pre-determined lifespan characteristics of a species can be modulated by altering the diet.  

Unarguably, essential to our understanding of exceptional longevity is distinguishing between the dietary factors that cause a long lifespan characterized by illness, from the ones that result in a long healthspan, thus promoting more healthy years of life. One such attempt is to explore the secrets of the long-lived and healthy populations, in order to comprehend their nutritional driving force and relevant health implications.

The aim of the proposed Special Issue on “Discovering How Food and Nutrition Affect Longevity” is to publish selected papers investigating dietary factors that may affect a long lifespan. In particular, papers (reviews and/or observational, clinical or experimental studies) dealing with the role of nutrition on longevity, and also contributions addressing its indirect effects through aging mechanisms, will be included.

Dr. Irene Tzanetakou
Dr. Demetris Lamnisos
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• longevity
• healthy longevity
• lifespan
• aging
• nutrition
• diet
• foods
• nutrients
• dietary patterns
• eating behaviors