Long, Healthy Lives. Photo courtesy: National Institute On Aging.
Understanding longevity is important because of its impact on private and government spending; if a significant portion of the population lives past 90, it will affect Social Security, Medicare, housing, education, insurance and more.
The focus of research is on the role of genetics, and according to the National Institute on Aging, people who live to ''extreme old age'' have genes that stave off illnesses until later than the general population.
Learn more here.
Copyright 2009 Miami Herald Media Co
March 17, 2009
USA: Centenarians: Sign of growing longevity or just a statistical inevitability?
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MIAMI, Florida / The Miami Herald / Action Line / March 17, 2009
Q. My mother will turn 100 next February, and my neighbor's mother just celebrated her 101st birthday. Are we living longer, or are there just more people to get that old?
-- Jay Warren, Miami
A. An increase in population does play a role but, according to the website for the Society of Actuaries, soa.org, ''Centenarians represent one of the fastest-growing age groups in the [United States].'' So far, despite commissioning a study published by the University of Chicago in 2005, it doesn't know why.
What is known is that becoming a centenarian involves genetics as much as living a healthy lifestyle and receiving good medical care.
Long, Healthy Lives. Photo courtesy: National Institute On Aging.
Understanding longevity is important because of its impact on private and government spending; if a significant portion of the population lives past 90, it will affect Social Security, Medicare, housing, education, insurance and more.
The focus of research is on the role of genetics, and according to the National Institute on Aging, people who live to ''extreme old age'' have genes that stave off illnesses until later than the general population.
Learn more here.
Copyright 2009 Miami Herald Media Co
Long, Healthy Lives. Photo courtesy: National Institute On Aging.
Understanding longevity is important because of its impact on private and government spending; if a significant portion of the population lives past 90, it will affect Social Security, Medicare, housing, education, insurance and more.
The focus of research is on the role of genetics, and according to the National Institute on Aging, people who live to ''extreme old age'' have genes that stave off illnesses until later than the general population.
Learn more here.
Copyright 2009 Miami Herald Media Co
