A literature review summarizes and discusses recent findings on the associations between nutritional status and aging. Specific attention is focused on 2 aspects: (1) aging retardation via food intake restriction (considering experimental rodent studies on the effects of food restriction on survival in aging and on the possible mechanisms of action associated with increased longivity in food restriction); and (2) the purported influence of specific nutrients (protein, fat, carbohydrate) on aging. The relevance of the findings of experimental animal studies to the human situation also is discussed.(wz)