Where Do Centenarians Come From?
While the US has a high rate of centenarians, this doesn’t always mean a high quality of life. Quality of life is sometimes surpassed by the need to keep people alive. It’s not about just living past a century, but being functional the whole time. The Seventh-day Adventists live an average ten years longer than others in this country, to an average age of 88 with a higher percentage of unusually long lives. They don’t smoke, tend to be lean and fit, and get regular exercise. They eat a largely vegetarian diet and spend a lot of time involved with family and religion, which scientists think helps them manage stress according to a story in the LA Times. In Okinawa, an island of Japan there are more centenarians than any other place in the world. Their diet is filled with whole grains, vegetables, and fish. They eat very little meat and dairy. An Okinawan staple is tofu and bean curd. Dominica has the second highest rate of longevity in the Western Hemisphere. Out of a population of 70,00
