Report says dieters may be at higher risk for flu

BETHESDA, Md. People cutting back on their calories as part of their New Year’s resolutions may be at greater risk of getting the cold or flu, according to new research published last month in the Journal of Nutrition.

Specifically, researchers found that mice that were put on a calorie-controlled diet, albeit supplemented with vitamins and minerals, were less able to fight off an infection than those on a normal diet. In addition to being less able to fight off an infection, the mice placed on a diet took longer to recover from a respiratory infection and lost more weight.