Tag Archives: expectancy

What Are the Keys to Thriving Well Beyond Average Life Expectancy?

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Both of my parents are in their 80s and truly embody the vitality of their age. I hope they will remain with us for many more years. So, what is the secret to living past 100 from your 80s?

Luck plays a significant part. Living in a tranquil country with clean water and an efficient healthcare system, while steering clear of deadly accidents and infections, certainly contributes. Genetic factors also play a role; women are statistically more likely to live to a century than men. Over three-quarters of centenarians are women, and the list of the world’s oldest individuals is overwhelmingly composed of women.

Family genetics influence lifespan, and researchers have pinpointed several genetic factors. Many gene variants are linked to longevity, as studies involving twins and family trees indicate that about 30% of longevity is hereditary. These genes typically endow heightened resistance to age-related conditions like cardiovascular diseases, according to research by Neil Barzilai at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in NYC.

This article is part of a special issue that examines how to craft the healthiest and happiest years ahead. Click here for more information.

Longevity Gene

The most effective way to assess if you possess a genome conducive to longevity is to examine your parents’ traits, if possible. While we can’t alter our DNA, there’s still ample opportunity to actively improve our circumstances. This might suggest adopting beneficial lifestyles, including nutritious diets, regular exercise, and moderate alcohol consumption. However, these factors may not significantly impact those who have already shown extraordinary longevity.

A study conducted in 2011 examined the living conditions of 477 Ashkenazi Jews who were 95 years and older and still lived independently. Notably, three-quarters of this group were women, and the oldest participant was 109. The researchers analyzed factors such as diet, exercise, smoking, alcohol consumption, and body mass index, and compared these with representative samples from the general population. The findings revealed no significant differences. Both groups displayed similar alcohol consumption, body mass index, and exercise levels.

However, caution is advised when drawing conclusions, warns Barzilai. Many of these long-lived individuals represent a fortunate few who have inherited robust longevity genes that enable them to withstand various adversities.

Anacleto Escobar on his 100th birthday with his wife.

AFP via Getty Images

For most individuals, leading a healthy lifestyle is crucial for reaching the age of 80. “There are four key components,” emphasizes Barzilai. “Prioritize exercise, sleep, nutrition, and social engagement.” Strength and flexibility exercises become vital as we age, and aiming for about 8 hours of sleep is advisable. Following a Mediterranean diet, including practices like the 16:8 diet and intermittent fasting, has also proven effective, he notes.

Cognitive Factors

Cognitive care is equally essential. A study in 2024 explored life pathways leading to exceptional longevity, following 547 individuals from the Lothian Birth Cohort Study, who were monitored from age 79. This research uncovered that cognitive abilities in later life significantly predict survival amongst the oldest participants, often more than physical capabilities.

This highlights the importance of continuously “exercising” our brains throughout life by forming new neuronal connections or building “cognitive reserves.” Notably, the study revealed that three early life factors – childhood socioeconomic status, IQ at age 11, and educational duration – significantly contributed to cognitive enhancement at age 79.

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Social connection likely serves as a surprising factor.
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Social connection may indeed come as a surprise factor. A few years ago, Boo Johansson and Valgeir Thorvaldsson extracted data at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, analyzing 699 individuals aged 100. The research revealed that while healthy living promotes longer life, social factors are equally crucial. “The most remarkable finding for the general public was the significance of what are referred to as ‘softer’ factors,” explains Thorvaldsson. “High life satisfaction and strong social bonds were pivotal.”

Among individuals over 80, those who were engaged with social groups felt they had lived longer compared to those who perceived their social connections as limited or lacking. The quality of these relationships—closer and more fulfilling—improves outcomes.

Moreover, life satisfaction greatly impacts longevity, as seen in responses to 13 survey statements reflecting positive life views. These statements included, “With age, things seem better than expected,” and “Reflecting on my life, I have not achieved what I considered important.”

Additional research has indicated that low life satisfaction poses a significant risk for mortality among men in their 80s. “I wasn’t surprised by the correlation between life satisfaction and mortality, but I was astonished by the effect’s magnitude,” states lead researcher Phil St. John from the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada.

Anti-Aging Medicine

While fostering social connections and enhancing life satisfaction can be complex, Barzilai suggests an alternative approach to aging healthily. “Several medications can be repurposed for aging,” he reveals. These include diabetes medications like Metformin and SGLT2 inhibitors, along with GLP-1 agonists, such as Ozempic and Wegovy, plus the osteoporosis drug Zoledronic acid.

Although these medications were designed for specific health issues, they also target the biological processes of aging. “All evidence suggests that using them in older age can prevent various diseases and reduce overall mortality,” concludes Barzilai.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Fewer People Expected to Reach 100 Years Old as Life Expectancy Growth Slows

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Few people celebrate their 100th birthday.

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Will you live to be 100 years old? For the average person, the answer is probably no, as life expectancy growth has slowed in wealthy countries despite advances in medicine and living conditions. This suggests there may be a biological limit to our age, but some researchers believe further progress is possible.

The current slowdown is in sharp contrast to 20 years.th Over the past century, life expectancy at birth in wealthy areas has increased by three years per decade in what researchers call radical life extension. People born in the mid-1800s had a life expectancy of 20 to 50 years, but by the 1990s they had reached 50 to 70 years.

Extrapolating from this trend, some people at the time began predicting that newborns in the 21st century would typically live to be over 100 years old, but that point has now been reached and this may have been too optimistic. It seems so.

S. Jay Olshansky Researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago analyzed mortality data from the 1990s to 2019 in nine wealthy countries, including the United States, Australia, South Korea, and Hong Kong. The 2019 cutoff was aimed at avoiding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The researchers found that life expectancy at birth increased by an average of 6.5 years over the study period. In the United States, reached 78.8 While in Hong Kong in 2019 It was 85.

However, from 2010 to 2019, the growth rate slowed in most countries compared to the past 20 years. The U.S. is in the worst position, perhaps because of the ongoing opioid crisis, Olshansky said. By contrast, only Hong Kong has seen an increase in life expectancy growth since 2010, but it is unclear what is causing this, he said. That may be because people have easier access to health care than in other regions, he says.

Based on historical trends, researchers predict that life expectancy at birth will never exceed 84 years for men and 90 years for women. They also calculate that only a small number of today's newborns will live to be 100 years old.

The recent slowdown may be because the greatest advances in environmental and medical improvements were already achieved in the 1900s, and human aging is reaching its biological limits, Olshansky said. Jan Vig A professor at New York's Albert Einstein College of Medicine thinks similarly. “There are certain biological limits that keep us from getting older,” he says.

but jerry mccartney Researchers from the University of Glasgow in the UK say that the slowdown in growth over the past decade is mainly due to policies in many of the countries analyzed, which have led to cuts in social security and health services and increased poverty. states that it is possible. Without these, life expectancy growth might not have slowed down, so with the right policies, life expectancy could continue to rise, he says.

in fact, michael rose A professor at the University of California, Irvine, believes there is no limit to the human lifespan. With the right investments in anti-aging research, he says, we could see another radical increase in life expectancy this century, at least in wealthy countries.

Olshansky said he was positive that life expectancy is still increasing despite the recent economic slowdown. “Of course we should celebrate the fact that we can live this long,” he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The global gender gap in life expectancy is closing.

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Over the past few decades, both men and women have benefited from improvements in medical care.

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Women have historically lived longer than men, but due to lifestyle changes, men may be gradually catching up.

Worldwide, The average human lifespan has increased Over the past century, this trend is expected to continue as countries become richer.Despite this increase, disparities remain persistent. Between the average lifespan of men and women.

You can learn more about david atance del olmo Researchers from the University of Alcalá in Spain analyzed mortality data from 194 countries from 1990 to 2010. These countries can generally be classified into five groups according to longevity trends.

The group with the highest life expectancy consisted of countries with the highest incomes, including Australia, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the rest of Western Europe. Rwanda and Uganda were the only groups with the lowest life expectancy.

Comparing the average life expectancy of men and women in these countries, men in Rwanda and Uganda experienced the largest increase in life expectancy, from just 30.85 years in 1990 to 45.22 years, an increase of 14.37 years in 2010. became. Life expectancy for women in these countries increased by just 0.94 years from 50.37 years to 51.31 years during this period.

Among the group with the longest life expectancy, the average life expectancy in 1990 was 4.84 years, favoring women. This decreased slightly to 4.77 years for her in 2010, but researchers predict that the gap will narrow further, reaching 3.4 years for him by 2030.

The researchers observed the same trends for three other groups of countries.

Although the researchers only looked at data through 2010, they expect similar trends to continue into the present. However, they acknowledge that COVID-19 may have had an impact on human life expectancy, particularly for men.

In recent decades, both men and women have benefited from medical advances and increased awareness of diseases such as AIDS, Del Olmo said. Smoking and alcohol-related deaths, which particularly affect men, were also down, which may have contributed to narrowing the gap in life expectancy between men and women, he said.

“This study is consistent with epidemiological trends that suggest global life expectancy is increasing and gender disparities are narrowing over time,” he says. Brandon Yang at the University of California, San Francisco.

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Source: www.newscientist.com