Curriculum
MODULE 04 · 60 min

Nutrition, Fasting & Caloric Restriction

Mediterranean evidence, protein targets, and what the CALERIE trial actually showed.

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Core summary

What you eat overall matters far more than any one food or supplement. Mediterranean-style eating (vegetables, legumes, olive oil, fish, nuts, less ultra-processed food) has the strongest track record. Most people over 50 eat too little protein. Fasting can help with weight, but it's not a separate magic — it mostly works because you eat less.

Topics covered

  • 01Mediterranean and dietary pattern evidence
  • 02Protein adequacy and the 1.2–1.6 g/kg debate
  • 03Caloric restriction in animals vs CALERIE-2 in humans
  • 04Time-restricted eating and intermittent fasting
  • 05Fasting-mimicking diets
  • 06Ultra-processed foods and cardiometabolic risk

Learning objectives

  • →Summarize the PREDIMED and CALERIE trial results.
  • →Recommend protein intake by age and goal (sarcopenia prevention vs weight loss).
  • →Distinguish time-restricted eating from caloric restriction mechanistically.
  • →Counsel patients away from oversold supplement stacks toward dietary patterns.

Key takeaways

  • →Dietary patterns (Mediterranean, MIND) outperform single-nutrient interventions.
  • →Older adults need more protein than RDAs suggest — 1.2–1.6 g/kg is well-supported.
  • →TRE produces weight loss when calories drop; standalone metabolic magic is overstated.

Graded claims

A
Mediterranean diet reduces major cardiovascular events
Clinically established — PREDIMED replication and meta-analyses.
B
Higher protein intake (1.2–1.6 g/kg) preserves lean mass in older adults
Supported, context-specific — Consistent across PROT-AGE and ESPEN guidelines.
C
Time-restricted eating uniquely improves metabolism beyond calorie reduction
Promising, preliminary — Most isocaloric trials show no advantage.
C
Caloric restriction will extend human lifespan
Promising, preliminary — Plausible; biomarker support; mortality unproven.
E
Seed oils cause inflammation and accelerate aging
Popular, weak support — Contradicted by RCT and prospective evidence.

Quick check

1. PREDIMED's main finding was that a Mediterranean diet reduced:
2. Approximate protein target supported for older adults to preserve lean mass:
3. Most isocaloric TRE trials show:

Flashcards

Further reading

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