University of Otago researchers have discovered some of the secrets to longevity with new research revealing not smoking and being social engaged throughout older age are common traits of New Zealand centenarians.
Associate Professor Yoram Barak, a consultant psychogeriatrician, says the results show people can have some control over the ageing process.
Electing not to smoke and committing to maintain social networking will be the best investment one can make towards successful ageing, he says.
Being socially active means physically going out of your home and away from families and interacting with people whether that is visiting friends, volunteering or participating in activities such as attending a concert or playing golf, Professor Barak says.
Together with his colleague Professor Paul Glue, from the Department of Psychological Medicine, and Dr Sharon Leitch from the Department of General Practice and Rural Health, Associate Professor Barak set out to investigate the variables associated with exceptionally healthy extreme old age.
This is so we can make some recommendations to try and help people age well.
The researchers examined data relating to 292 centenarians who were free of common chronic diseases such as diabetes, depression, dementia and hypertension. They also included information relating to a further 103,377 older people aged over 60. All of these people were living in private accommodation in the community and not in aged residential care.
Results showed social engagement of participants, whereby they are participating in social activities of long-standing interest was similar across all age groups.
Rates of depression and diabetes declined steadily with increasing age and rates of dementia declined after the age of 80. Hypertension rates increased by nearly 30 per cent from age 60 to 100 years.
There is evidence that exercise improves health and length of life but in this study most participants had a similar profile of physical activity and there was not sufficient spread of duration or intensity of physical activities to test the effects on ageing.
However, among those surveyed the highest physical activity groups were at the lowest risk of dementia.
As of 2011, there are estimated to be between 400 to 500 centenarians living in New Zealand. Of these, fewer than 40 would be aged over 105. The mean age of those interviewed in the study was 101.
The centenarians were more likely to be female (75 per cent) and in any age group, women were more likely to be free of the common chronic diseases outlined above.
Women have a longer life expectancy and are therefore more likely to be represented in centenarian studies. However, after correcting for this advantage, men who do make it to 100 years of age are more likely to be free of common illnesses, Associate Professor Barak says.
This study found higher rates of centenarians free of common chronic diseases in New Zealand than reported in other countries.
However, one explanation is that this survey considered only centenarians living in the community, who were likely to be in better health compared with those living in residential care or hospital settings.
Professor Barak explains the biopsychosocial foundations of remarkable health and longevity among centenarians is unclear. Genetic factors, certain geographical locations and life-style characteristics have all been studied in an effort to identify potential predisposing factors of exceptional longevity.
The research was recently published in international scientific journal Aging Clinical and Experimental Research.
Visit link:
Not smoking and being socially active keys to longevity, Otago research shows - New Zealand Doctor Online
- 5 Healthy Ways to Live a Longer, Happier Life, According to Blue Zone Communities - Verywell Mind - April 24th, 2025
- Walking Just 11 Minutes Each Day Could Add Years To Your Life, Says Study. Here's Why It Works. - Women's Health - April 24th, 2025
- Healthspan and longevity: The rise of the geroprotective supplements - NutraIngredients-USA.com - April 24th, 2025
- Longevity expert says one exercise can add three years to your life - Surrey Live - April 24th, 2025
- Want To Live To 100? Heres What The Blue Zones Are Doing Right - Plant Based News - April 24th, 2025
- Longevity: Discover Our Exclusive Hotels Focusing on Gentle Rejuvenation - Falstaff - April 24th, 2025
- In-cosmetics Global 2025: Barentz targets biohacking and longevity trends with innovative formulations - www.personalcareinsights.com - April 24th, 2025
- Fitness, mindset, and nutrition: Unlocking longevity after 60 [PODCAST] - KevinMD.com - April 24th, 2025
- Lanserhof: The Worlds Most Advanced Longevity Clinicand Why It Matters - stupidDOPE - April 24th, 2025
- Fiber, gut health and longevity: The week in Well+Being - The Washington Post - April 24th, 2025
- Viewpoint: Longevity and sirtuinsLeonard Guarantes Elysium is raking in a fortune promoting supplements that most scientists believe are next to... - April 24th, 2025
- Link between regenerative, functional, and longevity medicine | Bloom - WFLA - April 24th, 2025
- Abu Dhabi takes the HELM in longevity - Longevity.Technology - April 24th, 2025
- Family Guy: Rich Appel and Alec Sulkin Talk Longevity, Collaboration, and Doing it By Hand - Animation World Network - April 24th, 2025
- Want to Live Longer? A New Study Says Making This Easy Swap Could Help - Food & Wine - April 24th, 2025
- Timeline, the Leading Longevity Biotech Brand, Launches First-of-Its-Kind Gummy Powered by Mitopure - Business Wire - April 24th, 2025
- 'I'm a longevity expert - most 100-year-olds have eaten one type of carbohydrate their entire lives' - GB News - April 24th, 2025
- Whats the secret of the longevity of crocodile relatives? - futurity.org - April 24th, 2025
- This 99-Year-Old Lifts Every Day and Swears by One Surprising Meal - Men's Fitness - April 24th, 2025
- 5 health tips from the exclusive (and hardcore) German longevity retreat - MSN - April 24th, 2025
- I feel more alive than ever at 47 here's my 4-step routine - hellomagazine.com - April 14th, 2025
- Longevity Fitness: How to slow down aging and strategies to stay fit after middle age - Times of India - April 14th, 2025
- Living Longer and Better: The Rise of Longevity Clinics. But When Will They Be Accessible to Everyone? - Men's Health - April 14th, 2025
- Recent work suggests a connection between verbal factors and a longer lifespan. - Psychology Today - April 14th, 2025
- Aging In Place: Longevity In A Time Of Stress - CapeNews.net - April 14th, 2025
- Florida Wins National Title, a 101-Year-Olds Longevity Tips: What to Know TODAY - TODAY.com - April 14th, 2025
- Retirement could be bad for your health, says wellness expert: 'Powered by purpose' - Fox News - April 14th, 2025
- 101-Year-Old Nutrition Professor Shares 7 Tips For A Long Life - TODAY.com - April 14th, 2025
- Longevity and precision medicine driving the agenda at Abu Dhabi Global Health Week - PR Newswire - April 14th, 2025
- Sadhguru's 13 tips on right food habits that promote health and longevity - Times of India - April 14th, 2025
- Aging, regeneration and whole-body rejuvenation in long-lived planarians - Nature - April 14th, 2025
- Longevity expert says world's oldest people in Blue Zones 'never' drink this - Surrey Live - April 14th, 2025
- Technologies developed to clean up orbit and enhance satellite longevity - Space Daily - April 14th, 2025
- Longevity in theatre requires talent and skill and lucky timing - The Stage - April 14th, 2025
- FIBO 2025 opens with new longevity and wellness hall and conference - spaopportunities.com - April 14th, 2025
- What the Tech: Increasing your iPhone's longevity - KTBS - April 14th, 2025
- P90X trainer Tony Horton is in the best shape of his life at 66. Here are his top longevity tips. - Business Insider - April 14th, 2025
- This daily supplement can work wonders for longevity: Here's how to take it - Times of India - April 14th, 2025
- Is this longevity diet a magic pill for chronic diseases? Why Lancets planetary health diet can work for you - The Indian Express - April 14th, 2025
- Im a doctor why the French diet beats the Mediterranean diet for obesity, longevity and colon cancer - New York Post - April 14th, 2025
- So "Longevity Tea" Is A Thing & It's Easier To Make Than You'd Expect - MindBodyGreen - April 5th, 2025
- Longevity & Hospitality Summit: Transforming the future of hospitality - spaopportunities.com - April 5th, 2025
- Department of Health Abu Dhabi hosts inaugural Healthy Longevity Innovation Forum - MSN - April 5th, 2025
- Fat's surprising role in aging and longevity - WFTV - April 5th, 2025
- The creator of Kind Bars is now investing in longevity. Here's what his firm is betting on. - Business Insider - April 5th, 2025
- Try these moves tied to longevity and independence later in life - MSN - April 5th, 2025
- Longevity Beauty Brand Oneskin Launches Hair - The Business of Fashion - April 5th, 2025
- The science of brain longevity: The Magtein success story - NutraIngredients.com - April 5th, 2025
- Public invited to attend free conference on longevity: Focus Forward Long Live West Virginia - WV News - April 5th, 2025
- Dr Greger Reveals The 10 Blue Zones Food Guidelines To Lengthen Your Life - Plant Based News - April 5th, 2025
- NAD Supplements Promise to Improve Energy, Metabolism, and Longevity. Heres How Experts Recommend You Use Them - GQ - April 5th, 2025
- Longevity and Hyaluronic Acid, discover the novelties of LipoTrue at booth 1A80 - Cosmetics Business - April 5th, 2025
- The Longevity Superfood That Could Extend Your Life - Plant Based News - April 5th, 2025
- Nutritionist-approved 5 fruits that improve longevity and heart health - Times of India - April 5th, 2025
- Exclusive | 100-year-old NYC cabaret singer shares her secret to longevity: Everything about her is an inspiration - New York Post - April 5th, 2025
- The No. 1 Tip You Need To Live To 100, From A Longevity Expert - MindBodyGreen - April 5th, 2025
- I asked scientists about the best exercise for longevity - and they all said the same 3 workouts - Woman & Home - April 5th, 2025
- Longevity Is A Rich Man's Game. But What Does It Cost The Rest Of Us? - HuffPost UK - April 5th, 2025
- 'Fasting and the Longevity Revolution' Trailer Has Edward Norton Narrating Nutrition Doc - MovieWeb - April 5th, 2025
- The convergence of health, wealth and longevity Services - Deloitte - April 5th, 2025
- Longevity researcher shares secrets of the worlds blue zones - Fox News - March 19th, 2025
- Kyrgyzstan on the Threshold of an Aging Population: Government Develops Active Longevity Program - Times of Central Asia - March 19th, 2025
- Longevity dividend - Association of Health Care Journalists - March 19th, 2025
- Longevity: The cosmetics industry must rethink its approach to ageing - Premium beauty - March 19th, 2025
- Implantable biosensors get major longevity boost with coating technology that inhibits biofouling - Phys.org - March 19th, 2025
- Longevity vs. Metabolism: How Birds Cheat the Aging Process - SciTechDaily - March 19th, 2025
- Bon appetit, Cristiano Ronaldo! 'Unusual' dish behind 40-year-old's remarkable longevity - and where it can be bought - revealed - Goal.com - March 19th, 2025
- Secrets of the Greenland Sharks Longevity Revealed in New Study - The Brighter Side of News - March 19th, 2025
- Anthony Michael Hall Says Longevity Was Always His Goal As The Breakfast Club And Weird Science Turn 40 - Decider - March 19th, 2025
- LB Elandon Roberts' words on NFL longevity will have Raiders fans very excited to have him - Raiders Wire - March 19th, 2025
- Studies Undoubtedly Show This Vitamin Is Linked To LongevityHere's Why - mindbodygreen - March 19th, 2025
- 'Helps slow down ageing': Nutritionist names longevity foods that improve 'heart health and brain function' - GB News - March 19th, 2025
- Men With High-Quality Sperm May Have a Longer Life Expectancy - Everyday Health - March 19th, 2025
- Dr. Vonda Wright Shares the Longevity Habits Youre Not Thinking About (and That You Can Start Doing Today) - Maria Shriver's Sunday Paper - March 19th, 2025
- 99-Year-Old Dick Van Dyke Eats This Surprising Food Combo Every Day - Taste of Home - March 19th, 2025
- Climbing This Many Stairs A Week May Lead To A Longer Life - HuffPost UK - March 19th, 2025
- How to live longer: Supercentenarian who lived to 117 ate her go-to snack 3 times a day - GB News - March 19th, 2025
- Saudi Arabia Expands Regulatory Role To Shape The Future Of Health And Longevity - Citeline News & Insights - March 19th, 2025
- Crypto fans are obsessed with longevity and biohacking: Heres why - Cointelegraph - March 19th, 2025
- Unlocking the power of sleep: Longevity expert Dr Elie Abirached tells us how - Gulf Business - March 19th, 2025