Researchers at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden have conducted a major longevity study, finding that 42% of men over 80 die from cardiovascular disease.
Various surveys were conducted on 855 Gothenburg men over 50 years by researchers at Sahlgrenska Academy. The findings are one of the world’s first prospective studies of ageing, and provide valuable insights into the secrets of longevity.
Dr Lars Wilhelmsen, Professor Emeritus at Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, has been involved in the study for the past 50 years and says, “The unique design has enabled us to identify the factors that influence survival after the age of 50.”
“Our recommendation for people who aspire to centernarianism is to refrain from smoking, maintain healthy cholesterol levels and confine themselves to four cups of coffee a day,” Dr Wilhelmsen advises.
Surveys at ages 54, 60, 65, 75, 80 and 100 allowed the scientists to highlight factors that promoted longevity.
It also helps to own a house by the age of 50 – indicating a high standard of living – display a good level of middle-age fitness and to have a mother who lived a long time. Dr Wilhelmsen also attributes socio-economic status and maternal longevity to the results, “Our findings that there is a correlation with maternal but not paternal longevity are fully consistent with previous studies,” he says.
Two of the centenarians dropped out of the study due to dementia and one for personal reasons.
Of the 855 men surveyed, a total of 27% of the men lived to the age of 80, 13% lived to 90 and 1.1% to 100 years.
