Do you want to live to be 100 years old? If living longer is your goal, then your odds are improving. According to the National Council on Aging, the U.S. is home to nearly 105,000 centenarians – and believe it or not, says Pew Research, that figure is projected to quadruple over the next 30 years!

Common sense might suggest that the best people to tell us the secrets of reaching 100 and beyond would be those men and women who have already blazed the trail. Sounds logical, right? But before you start getting your longevity clues from a centenarian you happen to know, you might want to read this recent article from The Guardian in which science correspondent Nicola Davis sets us straight.

“Scientists still trying to work out why some people live beyond 100,” her article begins – “but [they] agree it is best to avoid taking advice from centenarians themselves.” Intrigued? So were we. Let’s see why 100-year-olds might not be the best guides toward long life.

Centenarians Can’t Really Explain Their Longevity

Davis begins by citing the recent death of the world’s oldest person, Maria Branyas Morera, who was 117 at the time of her passing in August.

Branyas told the Guinness World Records that her longevity came from “order, tranquility, good connection with family and friends, contact with nature, emotional stability, no worries, no regrets, lots of positivity and staying away from toxic people”.

Even so, scientists say that while it’s tempting to look to someone like Branyas and ponder what led to such longevity, the real answers may not lie with the actual individuals who live these long lives.

Scientists Are Still Unraveling the Mystery of Long Life

Richard Faragher, a professor of biogerontology at the University of Brighton, says that scientists are still trying to work out why some people live beyond the age of 100. He adds that there are two main theories, and they are not mutually exclusive.

The first theory? Luck. In other words, some centenarians have certain habits, but those habits aren’t necessarily responsible for their longevity. Faragher calls this an error in logic, basically “survivorship bias”. In other words, if someone eats chocolate every day and lives to be 100, chocolate must be the key to a long life.  (And, we would add, perhaps it is.)

He says, “Merely because you have survived smoking 60 [cigarettes] a day doesn’t mean that smoking 60 a day is good for you.”

The second theory is that centenarians have specific genetic features that equip them to live a longer life. But regardless, Faragher says that both theories result in the same warning: “Never, ever take health and lifestyle tips from a centenarian.”

Most Centenarians Offer Unwise Health Advice

This warning is a bold claim. But Faragher goes on to explain. “What you see with most centenarians most of the time – and these are generalizations – is that they don’t take much exercise,” he writes. “Quite often, their diets are rather unhealthy.” On top of that, a surprising number of centenarians are smokers.

He adds, “This flies in the face of a lot of epidemiological evidence we have on how to extend your healthy life expectancy.” For example, one large study found that not smoking, taking exercise, drinking in moderation and eating five servings of fruit and vegetables a day could increase life expectancy by up to 14 years.

World’s Oldest Woman Credited “Luck Plus Genetics”

Faragher says, “The fact that [centenarians] do many of these unhealthy things and still just coast through [life] says they’re either lucky or typically very well endowed [genetically].”

Branyas, as we mentioned, acknowledged that luck played a role in her long life. Her daughter, Rosa Moret, attributed it to genetics. In 2023, Moret told regional Catalan television, “She has never gone to the hospital, she has never broken any bones, she is fine, she has no pain.”

Good Health Promotes Positive Attitude, and Vice Versa

To make matters more complicated, Faragher adds that the possibilities for why centenarians could live longer could be instances of something he calls “reverse causation”. Davis writes, “For example, the idea that having a positive mental outlook can help you live for a very long time might, at least in part, be rooted in people being more sanguine because they have better health.”

Faragher quips, “When was the last time you had a really positive mental attitude and toothache?”

When considering centenarians, we tend to focus on things that aided their survival, but don’t think much about the “dis-enablers” – conditions they managed to avoid which, in turn, improved their emotional outlook and sense of well-being, and made them healthier.

Medical Advances Have Triggered Huge Longevity Increases

Luck is certainly a factor on an individual level, but experts say that there are well-known elements that add to an improved life expectancy on a broader level, such as modern practices of healthcare and hygiene.

“From about 100 years ago, what we started seeing was huge advances in life expectancy driven by improvements in reducing the likelihood that children die,” says David Sinclair, the chief executive of the International Longevity Centre. Chief among these improvements, he says, were vaccinations and clean water.

He adds, “What we’ve had over the last 20 years, and we’re going to see over the next 20 years, is a similar focus in terms of old age.” He believes that vaccines for flu and shingles, along with statin drugs and other medications, will significantly aid in longer lifespans.

Sinclair told Davis that governments also need to take action to help individuals make healthier choices, since many people still live in environments where it’s difficult to exercise, eat well, or avoid pollution.

Adding Years to Your Life, or Life to Your Years

A long life and a quality life aren’t always the same thing. Davis writes, “Even if a person lives into triple figures, however, it is not necessarily the case that life will be filled with balloons and blazing birthday cakes.”

Sinclair agrees, adding that while news stories about centenarians tend to be peppy and upbeat, they tend to bury the challenges, such as living alone for many years or dealing with medical problems. “The reality is not always as positive as it seems,” he said.

Rajiv Warns Against Longevity Without a Plan

As we often do, we asked Rajiv for his reaction to this story. He offered a sober analysis.

“This is a fun story on the surface,” he acknowledges.

“I mean, we all get a chuckle about the person who lives to be 110 and says they smoke two packs a day and drink bourbon for breakfast! Not good advice, right?” 

Rajiv adds, “But think about what this article is really saying. If you’re 60, 65, 70 today and making your plans for the rest of your life, how long will you expect to live? Quite a few of us are going to be reaching 95, 100, and beyond. Here’s the question: do you have a plan in place that guarantees you won’t run out of money, be a burden to your loved ones, or wind up in institutional care against your will? And have you taken into account at age 65 that you might very well live three more decades, or even more?”

He adds, “I literally know of dozens if not hundreds of people who were convinced they wouldn’t live past 75 or 80 because ‘that’s how long dad lived’ or ‘that’s when mom died.’ So, they plan to live until 80, only to still be alive and kicking at 85 or 90. Only thing is, their money has run out and they’re miserable. That is no way to live out the last decade of your life!”

Rajiv offers this invitation. “Come to a seminar. Bring your questions, and get the facts. I guarantee you, you’ll come away with a fresh new perspective on planning for the rest of your life – no matter how many years that might be.”

Rajiv Nagaich – Your Retirement Planning Coach and Guide

The long-awaited book by Rajiv Nagaich, called Your Retirement: Dream or Disaster, has been released and is now available to the public. Retirement: Dream or Disaster joins Rajiv’s ground-breaking DVD series and workbook, Master Your Future, as a powerful planning tool in your retirement toolbox. As a friend of AgingOptions, we know you’ll want to get your copy and spread the word.

You’ve heard Rajiv say it repeatedly: 70 percent of retirement plans will fail. If you know someone whose retirement turned into a nightmare when they were forced into a nursing home, went broke paying for care, or became a burden to their families – and you want to make sure it doesn’t happen to you – then this book is must-read.

Through stories, examples, and personal insights, Rajiv takes us along on his journey of expanding awareness about a problem that few are willing to talk about, yet it’s one that results in millions of Americans sleepwalking their way into their worst nightmares about aging. Rajiv lays bare the shortcomings of traditional retirement planning advice, exposes the biases many professionals have about what is best for older adults, and much more.

Rajiv then offers a solution: LifePlanning, his groundbreaking approach to retirement planning. Rajiv explains the essential planning steps and, most importantly, how to develop the framework for these elements to work in concert toward your most deeply held retirement goals.

Your retirement can be the exciting and fulfilling life you’ve always wanted it to be. Start by reading and sharing Rajiv’s important message. And remember, Age On, everyone!

(originally reported at www.theguardian.com)