While people today may be living longer on average, only a small fraction will reach their 100th birthday—and the reasons behind this rarity remain unclear to scientists. However, new research by my colleagues and me has identified a potential key factor contributing to the remarkable longevity of centenarians.
Centenarians intrigue scientists because they may reveal how to extend both lifespan and healthspan.
A long-standing question is whether their resilience comes from delaying major diseases, surviving them more effectively, or avoiding them altogether. Pinpointing the answer could shed light on the factors that drive longevity, so my colleagues and I set out to investigate.
Centenarians Face Fewer Illnesses and Develop Them at a Slower Pace
In two recent studies, we compared the health of people who lived to 100 with peers born in the same year who did not reach that milestone. Our findings showed that centenarians not only experience fewer diseases over their lifetime but also develop them more slowly. They are less likely to face deadly conditions such as major cardiovascular disease compared to their shorter-lived counterparts.
The first study examined 170,787 people born in Stockholm County, Sweden, between 1912 and 1922. Participants were followed for 40 years, starting at age 60 and continuing until their death or their 100th birthday. We assessed their risks for stroke, heart attack, hip fracture, and various cancers.
Centenarians consistently showed lower disease rates in late midlife and maintained that advantage throughout their lives. For instance, by age 85, only 4% had experienced a stroke, compared to about 10% of those who lived to 90–99. At age 100, 12.5% had suffered a heart attack, versus more than 24% of those who died between ages 80 and 89. This suggests that many centenarians delay or even avoid major age-related illnesses rather than merely surviving them.
Second Study Expands Scope to Mild and Severe Health Conditions
One limitation of this analysis was that it only considered serious diagnoses. To explore whether avoiding severe disease might be the real secret, we conducted a second study examining 40 medical conditions, from mild issues like hypertension to severe illnesses such as diabetes, heart failure, and heart attacks.
This study tracked 274,108 Swedes born between 1920 and 1922, following them for about 30 years from age 70. Out of all participants, just 4,330—around 1.5%—reached 100.
Even when factoring in a broader range of diseases and allowing for multiple health conditions per participant, our findings matched those from the first study: centenarians experienced fewer illnesses overall and accumulated them at a slower pace throughout life.
They were also more likely to have ailments confined to a single organ system—a sign of better health and resilience, as such conditions are generally easier to treat and manage long-term.
Lower Heart Disease Rates May Help Explain Centenarians’ Longevity
Cardiovascular disease was the most common diagnosis across all ages, yet centenarians were less likely to receive this diagnosis than their shorter-lived peers. By age 80, only about 8% of centenarians had been diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, compared to over 15% of those who died at 85. These lower rates of heart-related illness appear to be a key factor in their longevity.
Centenarians also showed stronger resistance to neuropsychiatric conditions, including depression and dementia, across their lifespan.
While most centenarians eventually developed multiple health conditions, this typically happened much later—around age 89—due to their lower disease burden and slower rate of accumulation.
In contrast, non-centenarians often saw a steep rise in the number of illnesses they faced during their final years. Centenarians, however, avoided this rapid health decline, maintaining greater stability well into their 90s and beyond.
The discovery that centenarians can delay—and sometimes even avoid—disease despite their extended lifespans is both fascinating and uplifting. It suggests that ageing can occur more slowly than usual, challenging the assumption that living longer inevitably means facing more illness.
Our results indicate that exceptional longevity involves more than just delaying disease; it represents a unique ageing pattern. Whether this stems primarily from genetics, lifestyle, environment, or a mix of these factors is still uncertain. Our next step is to identify what predicts reaching 100 and how those predictors influence health throughout life.
By uncovering the mechanisms behind healthy ageing in centenarians, we may find new ways to help more people live longer, healthier lives.
Read the original article on: Science Alert
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