title: Effect of Calorie Restriction on Mood, Quality of Life, Sleep, and Sexual Function in Healthy Nonobese Adults: The CALERIE 2 Randomized Clinical Trial.
abstract: Calorie restriction (CR) increases longevity in many species and reduces risk factors for chronic diseases. In humans, CR may improve health span, yet concerns remain about potential negative effects of CR.
  
  
  
  To test the effect of CR on mood, quality of life (QOL), sleep, and sexual function in healthy nonobese adults.
  
  
  
  A multisite randomized clinical trial (Comprehensive Assessment of Long-term Effects of Reducing Intake of Energy Phase 2 [CALERIE 2]) was conducted at 3 academic research institutions. Adult men and women (N = 220) with body mass index (BMI; calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) of 22.0 to 28.0 were randomized to 2 years of 25% CR or an ad libitum (AL) control group in a 2:1 ratio favoring CR. Data were collected at baseline, 12 months, and 24 months and examined using intent-to-treat analysis. The study was conducted from January 22, 2007, to March 6, 2012. Data analysis was performed from July 18, 2012, to October 27, 2015.
  
  
  
  Two years of 25% CR or AL.
  
  
  
  Self-report questionnaires were administered to measure mood (Beck Depression Inventory-II [BDI-II], score range 0-63, higher scores indicating worse mood, and Profile of Mood States [POMS], with a total mood disturbance score range of -32 to 200 and higher scores indicating higher levels of the constructs measured), QOL (Rand 36-Item Short Form, score range 0-100, higher scores reflecting better QOL, and Perceived Stress Scale, score range 0-40, higher scores indicating higher levels of stress), sleep (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index [PSQI], total score range 0-21, higher scores reflecting worse sleep quality), and sexual function (Derogatis Interview for Sexual Function-Self-report, total score range 24-188, higher scores indicating better sexual functioning).
  
  
  
  In all, 218 participants (152 women [69.7%]; mean [SD] age, 37.9 (7.2) years; mean [SD] BMI, 25.1 [1.6]) were included in the analyses. The CR and AL groups lost a mean (SE) of 7.6 (0.3) kg and 0.4 (0.5) kg, respectively, at month 24 (P < .001). Compared with the AL group, the CR group had significantly improved mood (BDI-II: between-group difference [BGD], -0.76; 95% CI, -1.41 to -0.11; effect size [ES], -0.35), reduced tension (POMS: BGD, -0.79; 95% CI, -1.38 to -0.19; ES, -0.39), and improved general health (BGD, 6.45; 95% CI, 3.93 to 8.98; ES, 0.75) and sexual drive and relationship (BGD, 1.06; 95% CI, 0.11 to 2.01; ES, 0.35) at month 24 as well as improved sleep duration at month 12 (BGD, -0.26; 95% CI, -0.49 to -0.02; ES, -0.32) (all P < .05). Greater percent weight loss in the CR group at month 24 was associated with increased vigor (Spearman correlation coefficient, ρ = -0.30) and less mood disturbance (ρ = 0.27) measured with the POMS, improved general health (ρ = -0.27) measured with the SF-36, and better sleep quality per the PSQI total score (ρ = 0.28) (all P < .01).
  
  
  
  In nonobese adults, CR had some positive effects and no negative effects on health-related QOL.
  
  
  
  clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00427193.
authors.affiliation: Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
authors.forename: Corby K
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Martin
authors.affiliation: Duke Clinical Research Institute and Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Manju
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bhapkar
authors.affiliation: Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences, Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Anastassios G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Pittas
authors.affiliation: Duke Clinical Research Institute and Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina.
authors.forename: Carl F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Pieper
authors.affiliation: Jean Mayer US Department of Agriculture, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Sai Krupa
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
authors.forename: Donald A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Williamson
authors.affiliation: Jean Mayer US Department of Agriculture, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Tammy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
authors.forename: Leanne M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Redman
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri.
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Stein
authors.affiliation: Jean Mayer US Department of Agriculture, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Cheryl H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Gilhooly
authors.affiliation: Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
authors.forename: Tiffany
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Jean Mayer US Department of Agriculture, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Robinson
authors.affiliation: Jean Mayer US Department of Agriculture, Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Susan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Roberts
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D015992:Body Mass Index; D031204:Caloric Restriction; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008136:Longevity; D008297:Male; D011788:Quality of Life; D012307:Risk Factors; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012890:Sleep; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires