Today, people are living longer than ever before—but what do the world’s oldest people have in common? Before we get into that, let’s take a look at some important terms and statistics. A Centenarian is a person aged 100 years or older; a Supercentenarian is a person aged 110 years or older. The oldest person on record—Jeanne Calment—was born in 1875 and died in 1997. Jeanne, who smoked for 100 years, lived for 122 years and 164 days. Misao Okawa is the oldest living individual today. She was born in 1898 in Japan and continues to reside there. Interestingly enough, there are only two living male Supercentenarians—compared to 63 living female Supercentenarians.
Centenarians tend to have great genetics, smaller body frames, strong willpower, large families, a desire to exercise, strong religious beliefs and values, a sense of purpose, plant-based diets and young parents. The majority of Centenarians in the U.S. are concentrated in the Northeast and Midwest. Among the most impressive Centenarians include Grandma Moses, Irving Berlin, Queen Elizabeth I, Ba Jin and Dorothea Tanning. Remember—while certain characteristics are common in long-living people, adopting them won’t necessarily allow you to live longer.
To learn more, check out the infographic below presented by topcollegesonline.org.
