In this study, researchers compared centenarians with people who died at a younger age and discovered that the oldest individuals not only develop fewer illnesses, but that their health problems don’t appear until later in life. Unlike many elderly people who quickly accumulate multiple diseases in their final years, centenarians often have illnesses affecting only a single organ system and avoid the steep rise in disease burden seen in others from around the age of 90 onward.
Cardiovascular diseases and neuropsychiatric conditions were both found to be less common among centenarians, and when they did occur, they tended to appear later in life. The findings challenge the common assumption that living longer inevitably brings more years of ill health. Instead, the researchers say, centenarians seem to follow a unique aging trajectory, marked by slower disease progression and greater resilience to common age-related conditions.
The study tracked the entire Swedish birth cohort of 1920-1922, covering more than 270,000 people, and followed their health from the age of 70 for up to 30 years using national medical records. The results suggest that exceptional longevity is not simply about postponing illness but may reflect the ability to maintain internal balance and resist disease despite the stresses of aging.
To read how France is experiencing a notable increase in supercentenarians, individuals aged 110 years or older, see this news story on our website.
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Reaching the age of 100 does not necessarily mean a life fraught with illness. A new study from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden shows that centenarians not only live longer, they also stay healthier than other older people, with fewer diseases that develop more slowly.
[Source: medicalxpress.com]
[Image source: Adobe Stock]
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In this study, researchers compared centenarians with people who died at a younger age and discovered that the oldest individuals not only develop fewer illnesses, but that their health problems don’t appear until later in life. Unlike many elderly people who quickly accumulate multiple diseases in their final years, centenarians often have illnesses affecting only a single organ system and avoid the steep rise in disease burden seen in others from around the age of 90 onward.
Cardiovascular diseases and neuropsychiatric conditions were both found to be less common among centenarians, and when they did occur, they tended to appear later in life. The findings challenge the common assumption that living longer inevitably brings more years of ill health. Instead, the researchers say, centenarians seem to follow a unique aging trajectory, marked by slower disease progression and greater resilience to common age-related conditions.
The study tracked the entire Swedish birth cohort of 1920-1922, covering more than 270,000 people, and followed their health from the age of 70 for up to 30 years using national medical records. The results suggest that exceptional longevity is not simply about postponing illness but may reflect the ability to maintain internal balance and resist disease despite the stresses of aging.
To read how France is experiencing a notable increase in supercentenarians, individuals aged 110 years or older, see this news story on our website.
Dr. Rath Health Foundation
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