Centenarians delay disease across lifespan

New Swedish studies suggest centenarians accumulate fewer illnesses and experience a slower health decline, indicating longevity can include extended health.

Centenarians Delay Disease Across Lifespan

Two large Swedish studies tracked health records of hundreds of thousands of older adults to compare those who reach 100 with peers who die earlier. The first study followed 170,787 people born in Stockholm County between 1912 and 1922 for up to 40 years, ending at death or at age 100. It found that centenarians not only had fewer diseases in late midlife but carried that advantage into old age. For example, at age 85, only four percent of those who would go on to reach 100 had a stroke, while among those who died between 90 and 99 the figure was around ten percent. By age 100, just 12.5 percent of centenarians had experienced a heart attack, compared with more than 24 percent of those who died in their 80s. The researchers say this implies centenarians delay illness, not just survive it.

The second study, published this month, followed 274,108 people born between 1920 and 1922 for about 30 years. Only 4,330 participants or 1.5 percent reached 100. Even when examining 40 different conditions from hypertension to cancer, centenarians showed fewer diseases overall and a slower pace of disease accumulation. Cardiovascular disease was the most common diagnosis across all ages but was significantly less prevalent among centenarians. By age 80, eight percent of centenarians had cardiovascular disease versus more than 15 percent of those who died at 85. Neuropsychiatric conditions such as depression and dementia also appeared later in life for centenarians, with health decline proceeding more gradually into the 90s.

The findings push back against the idea that a longer life must come with more years of illness. They hint at a subgroup whose aging pattern delays or avoids disease for longer. Yet the work is observational and cannot prove cause. Genetics, lifestyle, and environment may all play roles, and their relative importance remains unclear. Interpreting the results requires caution about data quality and potential selection bias. If confirmed, the results could shift research toward strategies that extend healthspan as well as lifespan, focusing on what helps people stay healthier longer.

Highlights

The science of aging keeps evolving, inviting us to rethink health across a lifetime.