What you need to do to live to be 100 years old

To live to at least 100 years old, healthy habits are key, but only up to a point, it seems. More and more research is showing how important genes are for life into old age.

Habits like getting enough sleep, exercise and a healthy diet can help you avoid disease and live longer, but when it comes to living past 90, scientists say genes are the key factor. “Some people think that if they diet and exercise properly, they will live to be 150. But that’s not true,” says Robert Young, who leads a team of researchers at the nonprofit scientific organization Gerontology Research Group.

“About 25 percent of your ability to live to age 90 is determined by genetics,” says Thomas Perls, a professor of medicine at Boston University. Perls is the director of the New England Centenarian Study, which has been tracking centenarians and their families since 1995. He estimates that life up to 100 years is 50% dependent on genetic factors, and in the case of life up to 106 years, genetic factors influence 75%.

Who lives to be 100 years old?

In recent years, the United States has seen an increase in the number of centenarians. Despite the decline in life expectancy, which dropped to 76.4 years in 2021, Perls estimates that about 20% of the population has the genetic makeup that could allow them to live to 100 years old if they lead a healthy lifestyle.

Today, people who reach 100 years of age not only live longer, but evidence shows they are able to avoid or delay age-related diseases such as cancer, dementia and heart disease longer than the general population. Among participants in the New England Centenarian Study, 15% were people who had no evidence of disease at age 100, and approximately 43% did not develop age-related disease until age 80.

The role of genes
Researchers have identified certain genes and their combinations that are associated with longevity, such as the presence of a variant known as the apolipoprotein E gene called “e2.” It is believed to help protect against Alzheimer’s disease. However, experts emphasize that living past 100 requires a combination of several genetic variants, each of which has a relatively modest impact.

In any case, people wondering how long they might live should start by researching their family history. Longevity of relatives is one of the strongest predictors of life expectancy. If many of a person’s relatives have lived to a ripe old age, then “potentially you have a much higher chance of the same thing happening to you,” Perls says.

Healthy Habits
Neurologist Claudia Kavas has been tracking the habits of older people over 90 years of age since 2003, as part of a study at the University of California. She and a team of researchers found a correlation between longevity and exercise and social activity.

“Maintaining good interpersonal relationships may be one of the keys to keeping us healthy,” says Amanda Cook Maher, a neuropsychologist at the University of Michigan and lead author of the study.

Harvard scientists also found a link between optimism and life expectancy in women from different racial and ethnic groups. According to a 2022 study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, among study participants, the 25% most optimistic women were more likely to live to age 90.

Based on materials from the Wall Street Journal

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