Charlotte Goode, a remarkable 97-year-old woman, epitomizes the essence of aging gracefully. Despite her age, she remains active, manages her own apartment, and engages in vibrant conversations. Charlotte is part of a unique group known as SuperAgers—individuals who live to be 95 or older while maintaining robust physical and mental health.
The American Federation for Aging Research has launched the SuperAgers Family Study to delve deeper into the secrets of longevity. This study seeks to recruit 10,000 SuperAgers, along with their adult children and the children’s spouses who do not have SuperAger parents. The goal is to identify the genes that contribute to exceptional longevity and develop medications that mimic these genetic benefits.
Sally Froelich, a 95-year-old SuperAger, actively participates in this study. “We hope this research will help us all live longer… even if we are not that 0.1 percent of the population who inherit genes,” she said. Indeed, only about 0.1% of people live to be 95 or older, largely due to genetics. While genetics account for 20-40% of longevity, lifestyle choices significantly impact this outcome, contributing 60-80%.
Rosanne Leipzig, a researcher involved in the study, emphasizes the importance of lifestyle. “You really don’t have a lot of control over the education you get, prenatal environment, your childhood nutrition, your access to medical care, whether you live in a polluted area — all which can contribute to health and longevity,” she noted. However, when given access to healthy lifestyle choices, how individuals utilize them can make a difference.
The study also highlights the concept of “weathering,” which suggests that socioeconomic disadvantages can cause African American women’s health to deteriorate early in adulthood. This underscores the complex interplay between genetics and environment.
SuperAgers like Sally Froelich advocate for a positive outlook on aging and engaging in activities that bring joy. “Do what you want to do and things that make you happy,” advised Froelich. Research supports this notion, indicating that people with a positive perception of aging live approximately 7.5 years longer and enjoy a better quality of life.
Sofiya Milman, another researcher, stresses the importance of including non-SuperAger relatives in the study. “They are just as important as the SuperAgers because we need to draw comparisons in the frequency of the genes,” she explained. The study found no significant differences in lifestyle factors such as smoking, alcohol use, diet, or exercise between SuperAgers and their counterparts who did not achieve this status.
Ultimately, while genetics play a crucial role in reaching advanced age, healthy lifestyle choices can delay the onset of age-related diseases. “The difference is that you can probably delay the onset of age-related diseases with a healthy lifestyle,” said Milman.
As researchers continue to uncover the genetic and environmental factors contributing to longevity, individuals like Charlotte Goode and Sally Froelich offer invaluable insights into living longer, healthier lives.
Parts of this article has been sourced by Healthline and fact-checked by Jennifer Chesak, MSJ
Featured Image by beauty_of_nature from Pixabay
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