Some animals are genetically predisposed to die before reaching old age to benefit the rest of the colony, according to a new British study.

Caenorhabditis elegans, a roundworm that shares genetic traits with humans, is programmed to die early to reduce its colony's demand for food, scientists say.  

These organisms possess a genetic 'self-destruct programme', preventing them from living beyond a certain age to benefit younger worms. 

Mutations to these C. elegans genes can massively increase their lifespan, most likely by switching off their life-shortening programme.

The new study is said to be the first evidence of programmed, adaptive death in an animal that has evolved for the benefits to its wider community.

'It's been known for years that programmed cell death benefits living organisms, but we're now realising there is programmed organismal death as well, that can benefit animal colonies,' said first author Dr Evgeniy Galimov at the University College London (UCL) Institute of Healthy Ageing.

'Our findings are consistent with the old theory that ageing is beneficial in one way, as they show how increasing food availability for your relatives by dying early can be a winning strategy, which we call consumer sacrifice.'