What's the secret for future centenarians?
Better health, advances in technology and more opportunities in life are giving babies born in rich nations since the start of the 21st century a head start over their peers. New European research shows that over half of these babies will become centenarians if current life expectancy trends continue. The study's results, published in The Lancet, also hint that working fewer days each week over extended working lives will give life expectancy and well-being a major boost. Researchers from the Danish Ageing Research Centre at the University of Southern Denmark, which led the study, and their German colleagues have found that considerable increases in life expectancy were recorded in most developed nations over the 20th century. It's interesting to note that even if health conditions do not improve further, at least 75% of the babies born today will get to blow out 75 candles on their birthday cakes. The data suggest that disease and disability rates in the elderly will impact the sustainability of modern society. 'The linear increase in record life expectancy for more than 165 years does not suggest a looming limit to human lifespan,' the authors write. 'If life expectancy were approaching a limit, some deceleration of progress would probably occur. Continued progress in the longest living populations suggests that we are not close to a limit, and further rise in life expectancy seems likely.' Data also show that rich nations are recording decreases in the death rate of people aged 80 and over. Using information collected in more than 30 developed nations, the researchers determined that the odds of surviving from the age of 80 to the age of 90 for women and men in 1950 was 15% and 12% respectively. By 2002, these figures had jumped to 37% and 25%, respectively. The European Health Expectancy Monitoring Unit is developing a common indicator of disability-free life expectancy named 'healthy life years' (HLYs). Data collected between 1995 and 2003 indicate differences in HLYs even amongst EU Member States with similar increases in their populations' life expectancy. For example, the number of HLYs for men has risen in Belgium, Germany and Italy, while Greece, Spain and France have reported stagnation. Women's HLYs have increased in Belgium, Italy and Sweden, but are at a standstill in Denmark, Austria, Finland and the UK. The researchers have determined that increases in life expectancy over the years depend on improved well-being of older people. Eating healthily and exercising are just some factors that will positively affect life expectancy. 'Very long lives are not the distant privilege of remote future generations - very long lives are the probable destiny of most people alive now in developed countries,' the authors say. 'Increasing numbers of people at old and very old ages will pose major challenges for healthcare systems. Present evidence, however, suggests that people are not only living longer than they did previously, but also they are living longer, with less disability and fewer functional limitations.' In another development regarding longevity, British scientists have succeeded in extending the lifespan of mice 20% and curbing the number of age-related diseases affecting these animals. The findings are published in the journal Science. By blocking a key molecular pathway, the researchers from the Institute of Healthy Ageing at University College London have effectively shown how drug treatments could be developed and used for ageing and age-related diseases. The scientists found changes in the ageing process in a strain of mice that are unable to generate the S6 Kinase 1 (S6K1) protein, which is involved in the body's response to changes in levels of foods consumed. These types of nutrient-sensing systems play a major role in helping the body respond appropriately to changing food levels as regards growth, reproduction and, from what the research shows, ageing. 'Blocking the action of the S6K1 protein helps prevent a number of age-related conditions in female mice,' explained the Institute's Professor Dominic Withers. 'The mice lived longer and were leaner, more active and generally healthier than the control group. We added 'life to their years' as well as 'years to their lives'.' The researchers also found that the beneficial effects of blocking S6K1 were mediated through stronger activity of the AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) molecule. AMPK is commonly referred to as 'a master fuel gauge' because it regulates energy levels inside the cells. It really kicks into action when cellular energy levels drop, which is usually the case when fewer calories are consumed. In a nutshell, new approaches can be found for the treatment of age-related diseases thanks to the information obtained in this study. 'This study reveals a biological pathway that may prove key to understanding the relationship between ageing and chronic illness,' said Sir Mark Walport, who heads the Wellcome Trust, one of the funding bodies of this research.
Countries
Germany, Denmark, United Kingdom