Researchers found that people who live to be 100 or older, known as centenarians, experience a slower decline in physical and cognitive abilities compared to those who live slightly shorter lives. A study tracking over 7,200 individuals born before 1922 revealed that centenarians maintain their physical and mental functions longer, only showing significant decline in their late years. This means that if you want to age well, focusing on maintaining your physical and cognitive health as you get older could be crucial.

The study showed that centenarians and nonagenarians (those aged 90-99) had a delayed onset of accelerated decline in their physical and cognitive abilities. For example, while they initially experienced a gradual increase in limitations related to daily activities and cognitive impairment, these issues intensified significantly later in life. Specifically, cognitive impairment rates rose from about 1% to 4%-6% per year as they aged. This suggests that maintaining a healthy lifestyle could help push back the point at which decline begins, allowing for a better quality of life in later years.

This research is based on long-term data from the Health and Retirement Study, which followed participants for up to 29 years. While the findings are strong, they are observational in nature and do not prove cause and effect. However, they provide valuable insights into how longevity relates to health and functioning, highlighting the importance of targeting interventions that can help people maintain their abilities as they age.

Source: academic.oup.com