A study published in JAMA Network Open found that adults who had at least one parent who lived to 100 had a much lower risk of death, heart disease and high blood pressure compared with people whose parents had shorter lifespans.
Researchers from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Boston University and Tufts Medical Center combined data from three long-term studies conducted in different regions: the Einstein-led LonGenity study, the New England Centenarian Study (NECS) at Boston University and the UK Biobank.
The analysis included 2,319 adults who had at least one parent who lived to 100 and 2,703 people in comparison groups.
The comparison group included people whose parents lived to age 85 or younger, as well as spouses of centenarians’ children.
Including spouses gave researchers another useful comparison because married couples often share the same environment and lifestyle habits, but they do not share the same genetic background.
The studies followed participants for different periods. Data covered 16 years in the LonGenity study and UK Biobank, and 29 years in the NECS.
Although each study collected data separately, researchers used the same method to analyze all three groups.
This helped them check whether the link between having a centenarian parent and a lower risk of death and age- related diseases was seen across different populations.
The researchers found that, at any given age, people with at least one centenarian parent had a 42% lower risk of death compared with those whose parents had shorter lifespans.
They also had a 33% lower risk of cardiovascular disease and a 32% lower risk of high blood pressure.
“This is not to say that lifestyle doesn’t count – healthy behaviours remain important for everyone. But some people from families with exceptional longevity appear to enjoy biological advantages that help them remain healthy despite the environmental and behavioural factors that affect us all,” says lead author Eric Reed. – dpa
