What explains this progression? Advances in health, education, disease prevention and treatment certainly played key roles. But, Gregg Easterbrook Documentarian Jason Prall interviewed centenarians in nine countries in an attempt to gauge the impact of lifestyle, environment and mindset on longevity. Some of the common denominators he identified were simple yet impactful choices in food, exercise and social interaction. \u201cIf you want to keep your brain young, music, movement and engaging with others, those three things, I would say are the most important things you can do,\u201d Prall said. \u201cWe also need to have fun, enjoy our lives, find something meaningful and be passion-driven, whether it\u2019s art or whatever it is.\u201d<\/p>\n Most researchers agree that key elements of a supportive living environment include exercise, stimulating interpersonal relationships, a positive attitude about challenges, and access to green space, health care and good nutrition. \u201cConstant interaction with other people can be annoying, but overall seems to keep us engaged with life,\u201d said Thomas Perls, a professor at Boston Medical Center.<\/p>\n But of course it\u2019s not that simple. \u201cLifestyle studies of centenarians can be really puzzling,\u201d noted Brian Kennedy, CEO of the Buck Institute, a research facility dedicated to extending the human life span. \u201cThey smoke more and drink less than we might guess. Few are vegetarians. Nothing jumps out as a definitive cause of their long lives.\u201d<\/p>\n Added Luigi Ferrucci, director of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, \u201cOn some of the big questions, such as whether longevity is caused mainly by genes or mainly by lifestyle and environment, we just have no idea at all.\u201d<\/p>\n No doubt heredity plays a role \u2013 some researchers attribute up to 30% of longevity to heritable traits. John Rowe, a health policy professor at Columbia University and a former CEO of Aetna, cast a vote for education: \u201cIf someone walked into my office and asked me to predict how long he would live, I would ask two things: What is your age, and how many years of education did you receive?\u201d<\/p>\n It seems there\u2019s no absolute proof of the path to 100 but plenty of clues. As Easterbrook said, \u201cYou should watch your weight, eat more greens and less sugar, exercise regularly, and get ample sleep. But you should do these things because they are common sense\u2014not because there is any definitive proof that they will help you live longer.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBottom line: Keep an eye on these environmental factors. After all, they make up 65% to 80% of your health,\u201d added medical research information provider MDLinx.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.yardi.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/15\/2021\/01\/143132290-1920x1280-1.jpg?w=300\")
reported in The Atlantic<\/em> in 2014, \u201cViewed globally, the lengthening of life spans seems independent of any single, specific event. It didn\u2019t accelerate much as antibiotics and vaccines became common. Nor did it retreat much during wars or disease outbreaks.\u201d<\/p>\n