Why people in this country are more likely to live to 100

Japan/ AP Photo

People turning 100 this year have experienced many historical changes. Born in 1925, between the two world wars, they have seen everything from the invention of penicillin to the development of TikTok.

But very few people reach that age. According to the United Nations, about 630,000 people are centenarians worldwide, and most live in just 10 countries, in Asia, Europe and North America, which vary in size, economy, politics and health.

One in five centenarians lives in Japan, which has the highest life expectancy, at 88 years for women and 82 for men. Japan is followed by the US, China and India, but compared to population, European countries such as France, Greece and Italy rank higher.

“The Japanese state is at the top of all the lists,” says Solveig Cunningham, professor of health and longevity research at the Netherlands Demographic Institute.

This is linked to nutrition, physical activity and a healthy environment. However, Cunningham stresses that the health of immigrants in Japan needs to be studied to better understand.

Extreme longevity has intrigued scientists and inspired many books and television programs. One popular theory is that of “blue zones,” regions where people live long lives due to healthy lifestyles and genetics.

But some researchers have raised doubts about the accuracy of these areas, citing administrative errors and fraud in birth and pension registries.

Cunningham admits there are some "anomalies in the data", but they do not affect the main trends, as countries with more centenarians have higher average life expectancies.

"Those are places where people live longer, so more people reach the age of 100," she explains.

Even in countries with lower life expectancies, those who survive are very strong. There doesn't seem to be any "magic ingredient" for longevity.

Experts agree that the main factors, however, are: regular physical activity, healthy eating, medical care, sufficient sleep, avoiding smoking and alcohol, and stress management.

"I'm not very convinced about the effects of fish, chocolate or a glass of wine," Cunningham said with a smile.

_{Source: Euronews}