An overview of two decades of diet restriction studies using Drosophila

Dietary restriction (DR) is a potent forerunner in aging studies capable of influencing lifespan and improving health in various model organisms even in their old age. Despite the importance of protein and carbohydrates in the diet (regulation of fecundity and body maintenance respectively), different ratio based combinations of these components has played a major role in lifespan extension studies. In spite of differences existing in dietary protocols across laboratories, diet manipulations have evolved as a major area of research in Drosophila lifespan studies, prominently shedding light on the multi-faceted process over the last two decades. Here, we review various advances and technicalities involved in understanding the DR-mediated lifespan alongside discussing the pros and cons of various existing approaches/diets used across labs. The current review also focuses on the importance of life-stage specific DR implementation and their influence on the life-history traits including lifespan and fecundity, by taking examples of results from different studies comprising diet dilution, calorie restriction, protein restriction, carbohydrate: protein ratios and the modulations in various minor diet components. We thereby intend to gather the major advances made in these fields alongside reviewing the practical implementations that need to be made to get a better view of the DR-mediated lifespan studies.