One secret key to longevity: Do you want to live to be a centenarian? We recently got some insights about variables associated with living to one hundred years old. Researchers in New Zealand examined many factors, including depression, dementia, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, physical activity, and social relationships. They discovered one key to longevity that may surprise you.
Do you enjoy socializing? If the answer is no, you are more likely to live a shorter life than someone who socialized a lot. Today we look at an analysis of 292 centenarians. The researchers also looked at data on 103,000 New Zealanders with a median age of 82 years.
Let’s get the study’s biggest problem out of the way first. In this sense, the research is observational and does not provide high-level evidence about the factors leading to long life. With that caveat out of the way, I want to turn to the research findings.
First, the researchers analyzed the 292 centenarians. These older folks had an average age of just over 101 years. Compared with the elderly group members serving as controls, the centenarians tended to be female (75 percent versus 59 percent).
The centenarians appeared no more likely to free from common chronic diseases on any analyzed variables. Not surprisingly, the long-lived group had a lower rate of smoking. The centenarian group also had steady and high rates of social engagement.
This research investigation adds to our understanding of who attains exceptional longevity. The study authors confirmed some already known truths, including that centenarians are more likely to be female. Please go here to learn more about one secret key to longevity:
