Comment Section for To Live Past 100, Mangia a Lot Less: Italian Expert’s Ideas on Aging - The New York Times

The New York Times article discusses the work of Valter Longo, an Italian biochemist who is researching aging and nutrition. Longo, a professor of gerontology and the director of the U.S.C. Longevity Institute in California, believes that the key to aging healthily up to 120 or 130 years lies in diet and a concept he calls "faux fasting." He has developed a plant and nut-based diet that mimics fasting, and through his research, he argues it can help cells rejuvenate. Longo has also identified genes that regulate aging. The article highlights Italy's importance as a location for aging research due to its high population of centenarians. Longo's research also draws attention to the negative health effects of the modern Italian diet, which he believes contributes to disease. Despite his critical view of Italy's current diet, he sees the country's historical and nutritional context as a valuable resource for aging research.