Experts from the Boston Medical Center drew their findings from an analysis of health history questionnaires answered by 739 men and women, all between the ages if 97 and 119. Of the subjects, one-third managed to survive at least one age-related disease before reaching the age of 85.
Of those who survived the diseases, the experts discovered, males managed to reach their 90s mainly because of their healthy lifestyle, putting their bodies in the best physical shape possible. The same kind of lifestyle also aided women in coping with diseases, helping them survive their conditions despite their old age.
A similar study found that lifestyle factors also contributed to the longevity of the elderly.
Dr. Laurel Yates of the Brigham and Women's hospital in Boston concluded from an experiment that males in their 70s have a 54 percent chance of reaching their 90s if they avoided smoking, or did not suffer from diabetes. Exercise, weight, and blood pressure were also seen as contributors to their longevity.
Sedentary lifestyles, reported the Guardian, reduced the chances to 44 percent. High blood pressure dropped it to 36 percent; obesity, 26 percent; and smoking, 22 percent. A combination of any three of the factors cut the chances down to 14 percent.
Both studies were published in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
