Research has shown that if overweight people switch to a low-calorie diet, it can lead to a healthier and longer life. But do you experience those same benefits if you don’t restrict calories until later in life?

In this Science in Seconds segment, UConn Health geneticist Blanka Rogina, finds that older flies aged on a high calorie diet are healthier and live longer if they’re switched to a reduced calorie diet.

If the effect holds true for humans, it would mean it’s never too late for obese people to improve their health with diet.