Calorie restriction (caloric restriction or energy restriction) is a dietary regimen that reduces food intake without incurring malnutrition. "Reduce" can be defined relative to the subject's previous intake before intentionally restricting food or beverage consumption, or relative to an average person of similar body type.
Calorie restriction is typically adopted intentionally to reduce body weight. It is recommended as a possible regimen by US dietary guidelines and scientific societies for body weight control. Mild calorie restriction may be beneficial for pregnant women to reduce weight gain (without weight loss), and reduce perinatal risks for both the mother and child. For overweight or obese individuals, long-term health improvement may result from calorie restriction, although a gradual weight regain may occur.
