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PubMed1991

Normative beliefs about factors that affect health and longevity.

Since the release of the Surgeon General's report, Healthy People, the general public has been barraged with health information and advice by the popular media. Accordingly, this article introduces a method for examining the public's beliefs about the importance of behavioral risk factors associated with health and longevity. The factorial survey approach--a technique appropriate for studying normative beliefs--seems uniquely suited to measuring the degree of public consensus regarding complex social phenomena. Data collected using this experimental vignette methodology suggest that there is much public agreement about the sources of good health. Information described in hypothetical vignettes about smoking, body weight and alcohol consumption are judged most important in promoting health and longevity even when controlling for other behavioral factors such as exercise activity, diet, amount of rest, stress, personality type, and coping strategies. The implications of these findings are briefly discussed.

Attitude to Health↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Validation of an approximate approach to compute genetic correlations between longevity and linear traits.

The estimation of genetic correlations between a nonlinear trait such as longevity and linear traits is computationally difficult on large datasets. A two-step approach was proposed and was checked via simulation. First, univariate analyses were performed to get genetic variance estimates and to compute pseudo-records and their associated weights. These pseudo-records were virtual performances free of all environmental effects that can be used in a BLUP animal model, leading to the same breeding values as in the (possibly nonlinear) initial analyses. By combining these pseudo-records in a multiple trait model and fixing the genetic and residual variances to their values computed during the first step, we obtained correlation estimates by AI-REML and approximate MT-BLUP predicted breeding values that blend direct and indirect information on longevity. Mean genetic correlations and reliabilities obtained on simulated data confirmed the suitability of this approach in a wide range of situations. When nonzero residual correlations exist between traits, a sire model gave nearly unbiased estimates of genetic correlations, while the animal model estimates were biased upwards. Finally, when an incorrect genetic trend was simulated to lead to biased pseudo-records, a joint analysis including a time effect could adequately correct for this bias.

Longevity↗

PubMed2005

Municipal health expectancy in Japan: decreased healthy longevity of older people in socioeconomically disadvantaged areas.

BACKGROUND: Little is known about small-area variation in healthy longevity of older people and its socioeconomic correlates. This study aimed to estimate health expectancy at 65 years (HE65) at the municipal level in Japan, and to examine its relation to area socio-demographic conditions. METHODS: HE65 of municipalities (N = 3361) across Japan was estimated by a linear regression formula with life expectancy at 65 years and the prevalence of those certificated as needing nursing care. The relation between HE65 and area socio-demographic indicators was examined using correlation coefficients. RESULTS: The estimated HE65 (years) ranged from 13.13 to 17.39 for men and from 14.84 to 20.53 for women. HE65 was significantly positively correlated with the proportion of elderly and per capita income, and negatively correlated with the percentage of households of a single elderly person, divorce rate, and unemployment rate. These relations were stronger in large municipalities (with a population of more than 100,000) than in small and medium-size municipalities. CONCLUSION: A decrease in healthy longevity of older people was associated with a higher percentage of households of a single elderly person and divorce rate, and lower socioeconomic conditions. This study suggests that older people in urban areas are susceptible to socio-demographic factors, and a social support network for older people living in socioeconomically disadvantaged conditions should be encouraged.

Aged↗

PubMed2026

Nutrition and longevity - diet in centenarians.

BACKGROUND: Nutrition plays a central role in the biological mechanisms that shape aging, health span, and longevity. Micronutrients—including vitamins, trace elements, and polyphenols—support genomic stability, mitochondrial integrity, and antioxidant defense, while dietary patterns rich in plant-based foods modulate inflammation, metabolic regulation, and epigenetic processes. Centenarian populations consuming Mediterranean, Okinawan, Nordic, and Nicoyan diets offer a natural model for understanding how nutrient-rich, minimally processed foods, moderate caloric intake, and balanced lifestyles interact with molecular pathways to extend functional life. MAIN BODY: This review synthesizes current evidence on how micronutrients influence DNA repair, oxidative stress reduction, and mitochondrial protection, particularly through the actions of vitamins C and E, niacin-dependent PARP activity, folate-mediated methylation, and metal cofactors involved in antioxidant enzymes. Plant-based diets rich in fiber and polyphenols enhance microbial diversity and promote beneficial taxa such as Akkermansia and Bifidobacterium, supporting gut barrier integrity and immune balance. Caloric restriction and intermittent fasting activate nutrient-sensing pathways, including AMPK and sirtuins, reduce mTOR activity, and stimulate autophagy, collectively improving cellular resilience. Findings from centenarian regions highlight the convergence of lifestyle, nutrition, and cultural practices that reduce systemic inflammation, maintain metabolic flexibility, and support healthy aging trajectories. CONCLUSIONS: Diet emerges as a decisive modifiable determinant of lifespan and health span. The convergence of molecular nutrition, microbiome composition, and traditional dietary habits underlies the exceptional longevity observed in centenarian populations. Future research should integrate nutrigenomics, metabolomics, and microbiome profiling to clarify causal mechanisms and guide precision nutrition strategies for aging societies.

Humans↗

PubMed2002

A quantitative model of cellular senescence influence on cancer and longevity.

Contrary to the paradigm that cancer incidence increases indefinitely with age, significant data now suggest cancer incidence may markedly reduce beyond age 80 years for humans and beyond 800 days for mice, and is not inevitable. We show that increasing cellular senescence with age is a possible cause of this reduction, since senescent cells are removed from the pool of cells that retain proliferative ability necessary for cancer. We further show that animal interventions appearing to alter senescence, p53 mutation and melatonin dosing, support the prediction that increasing senescence rate reduces cancer while reducing lifespan, and vice versa. Studies of environmental agents associated with increased cancer might be re-examined to find if there is an association with longevity increases, which may markedly alter our view of such agents. We also show that if an agent functions by slowing both senescence and carcinogenesis, longevity is increased while reducing cancer. Dietary restriction is the only known intervention that accomplishes this, but there may be others.

Aging↗

PubMed2006

Inflammation, longevity, and cardiovascular diseases: role of polymorphisms of TLR4.

The total burden of infection at various sites may affect the progression of atherosclerosis, the risk being modulated by host genotype. The role of lipopolysaccaride receptor TLR4 is paradigmatic. It initiates the innate immune response against gram-negative bacteria; and TLR4 polymorphisms, as ASP299GLY, suggested to attenuate receptor signaling, have been described. We demonstrated that TLR4 ASP299GLY polymorphism shows a significantly lower frequency in patients affected by myocardial infarction compared to controls, whereas centenarians show a higher frequency. Thus, people genetically predisposed to developing weak inflammatory activity, seem to have fewer chances of developing cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and, subsequently, live longer if they do not become affected by serious infectious diseases. These results are in agreement with our other data demonstrating how genetic background may exert the opposite effect with respect to inflammatory components in CVD and longevity. In the present report, to validate this hypothesis, the levels of interleukin (IL)-6, a pro-inflammatory cytokine involved in atherosclerosis and longevity, were determined by an enzyme-linked immuno-sorbent assay (ELISA) in supernatants from a whole blood assay after stimulation with subliminal doses of lipopolysaccaride (LPS) from Escherichia coli (E. coli). The samples, genotyped for the ASP299GLY polymorphism, were challenged with LPS for 4, 24, and 48 h. What we found was that Il-6 values were significantly lower in carriers bearing TLR4 mutation. Therefore, the pathogen burden, by interacting with host genotype, determines the type and intensity of the immune-inflammatory responses accountable for pro-inflammatory status, CVD, and unsuccessful aging. On the other hand, our present data seem to explain the inconclusive results obtained in case-control studies taking into account the role of functional IL-6 polymorphisms in successful and unsuccessful aging. In fact, IL6 levels seem to depend, in addition, on IL-6 polymorphisms and on innate immunity gene polymorphisms as well.

Acute Disease↗

PubMed2005

Minireview: the role of oxidative stress in relation to caloric restriction and longevity.

Reduction of caloric intake without malnutrition is one of the most consistent experimental interventions that increases mean and maximum life spans in different species. For over 70 yr, caloric restriction has been studied, and during the last years the number of investigations on such nutritional intervention and aging has dramatically increased. Because caloric restriction decreases the aging rate, it constitutes an excellent approach to better understand the mechanisms underlying the aging process. Various investigations have reported reductions in steady-state oxidative damage to proteins, lipids, and DNA in animals subjected to restricted caloric intake. Most interestingly, several investigations have reported that these decreases in oxidative damage are related to a lowering of mitochondrial free radical generation rate in various tissues of the restricted animals. Thus, similar to what has been described for long-lived animals in comparative studies, a decrease in mitochondrial free radical generation has been suggested to be one of the main determinants of the extended life span observed in restricted animals. In this study we review recent reports of caloric restriction and longevity, focusing on mitochondrial oxidative stress and the proposed mechanisms leading to an extended longevity in calorie-restricted animals.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

DAF-9, a cytochrome P450 regulating C. elegans larval development and adult longevity.

The daf-9 gene functions to integrate transforming growth factor-beta and insulin-like signaling pathways to regulate Caenorhabditis elegans larval development. Mutations in daf-9 result in transient dauer-like larval arrest, abnormal reproductive development, molting defects and increased adult longevity. The phenotype is sterol-dependent, and dependent on the activity of DAF-12, a nuclear hormone receptor. Genetic tests show that daf-9 is upstream of daf-12 in the genetic pathways for larval development and adult longevity. daf-9 encodes a cytochrome P450 related to those involved in biosynthesis of steroid hormones in mammals. We propose that it specifies a step in the biosynthetic pathway for a DAF-12 ligand, which might be a steroid. The surprising cellular specificity of daf-9 expression (predominantly in two sensory neurons) supports a previously unrecognized role for these cells in neuroendocrine control of larval development, reproduction and life span.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

PubMed2005

Uncoupling of longevity and paraquat resistance in mutants of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans.

To analyze the relationship between resistance to oxidative stress and longevity, we isolated three novel paraquat-resistant mutants, mev-5, mev-6, and mev-7, from the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. They all showed the Dyf (defective in dye filling) phenotype, but not always resistance to heat or UV. Life-span extension was observed only in the mev-5 mutant at 26 degrees C. These results indicate that longevity is uncoupled with the phenotype of paraquat resistance.

Aging↗

PubMed2005

Three dimensions of the survival curve: horizontalization, verticalization, and longevity extension.

Three dimensions of the survival curve have been developed: (1) "horizontalization," which corresponds to how long a cohort and how many survivors can live before aging-related deaths significantly decrease the proportion of survivors; (2) "verticalization," which corresponds to how concentrated aging-related ("normal") deaths are around the modal age at death (M); and (3) "longevity extension," which corresponds to how far the highest normal life durations can exceed M. Our study shows that the degree of horizontalization increased relatively less than the degree of verticalization in Hong Kong from 1976 to 2001. After age normalization, the highest normal life durations moved closer to M, implying that the increase in human longevity is meeting some resistance.

Actuarial Analysis↗

PubMed2006

p38 MAPK regulates expression of immune response genes and contributes to longevity in C. elegans.

The PMK-1 p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway and the DAF-2-DAF-16 insulin signaling pathway control Caenorhabditis elegans intestinal innate immunity. pmk-1 loss-of-function mutants have enhanced sensitivity to pathogens, while daf-2 loss-of-function mutants have enhanced resistance to pathogens that requires upregulation of the DAF-16 transcription factor. We used genetic analysis to show that the pathogen resistance of daf-2 mutants also requires PMK-1. However, genome-wide microarray analysis indicated that there was essentially no overlap between genes positively regulated by PMK-1 and DAF-16, suggesting that they form parallel pathways to promote immunity. We found that PMK-1 controls expression of candidate secreted antimicrobials, including C-type lectins, ShK toxins, and CUB-like genes. Microarray analysis demonstrated that 25% of PMK-1 positively regulated genes are induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection. Using quantitative PCR, we showed that PMK-1 regulates both basal and infection-induced expression of pathogen response genes, while DAF-16 does not. Finally, we used genetic analysis to show that PMK-1 contributes to the enhanced longevity of daf-2 mutants. We propose that the PMK-1 pathway is a specific, indispensable immunity pathway that mediates expression of secreted immune response genes, while the DAF-2-DAF-16 pathway appears to regulate immunity as part of a more general stress response. The contribution of the PMK-1 pathway to the enhanced lifespan of daf-2 mutants suggests that innate immunity is an important determinant of longevity.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Embryo culture does not affect the longevity of offspring in mice.

The oldest assisted reproductive technologies (ART)-conceived child is only 27 years old. Thus, the effects of ART on longevity are unknown, and it will be many years before this can be assessed in humans. We recently reported that culturing preimplantation mouse embryos under suboptimal conditions results in differences in how the offspring perform in behavioral assays that reflect anxiety (elevated zero maze) and spatial memory (Morris hidden water maze; Ecker et al. 2004). Here we monitored the mice generated in our previous study and found no difference in their longevity.

Aging↗

PubMed2005

Genetic association analysis of human longevity in cohort studies of elderly subjects: an example of the PON1 gene in the Danish 1905 birth cohort.

Although the case-control or the cross-sectional design has been popular in genetic association studies of human longevity, such a design is prone to false positive results due to sampling bias and a potential secular trend in gene-environment interactions. To avoid these problems, the cohort or follow-up study design has been recommended. With the observed individual survival information, the Cox regression model has been used for single-locus data analysis. In this article, we present a novel survival analysis model that combines population survival with individual genotype and phenotype information in assessing the genetic association with human longevity in cohort studies. By monitoring the changes in the observed genotype frequencies over the follow-up period in a birth cohort, we are able to assess the effects of the genotypes and/or haplotypes on individual survival. With the estimated parameters, genotype- and/or haplotype-specific survival and hazard functions can be calculated without any parametric assumption on the survival distribution. In addition, our model estimates haplotype frequencies in a birth cohort over the follow-up time, which is not observable in the multilocus genotype data. A computer simulation study was conducted to specifically assess the performance and power of our haplotype-based approach for given risk and frequency parameters under different sample sizes. Application of our method to paraoxonase 1 genotype data detected a haplotype that significantly reduces carriers' hazard of death and thus reveals and stresses the important role of genetic variation in maintaining human survival at advanced ages.

Age Factors↗

PubMed2006

Effect of Bacillus thuringiensis cry3Bb1 protein on the feeding behavior and longevity of adult western corn rootworms (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

The first transgenic corn hybrids expressing the Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) Cry3Bb1 protein to control corn rootworm (Diabrotica spp.) larvae were registered for commercial use in 2003. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of Cry3Bb1 protein in combination with a cucurbitacin bait on adult feeding and longevity of both organophosphate-resistant and -susceptible western corn rootworms, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae). In choice and no-choice tests, possible repellency to the Bt protein was quantified by comparing beetle consumption of cellulose disks treated with three concentrations of Bt in combination with a feeding stimulant (Invite EC) to disks treated with stimulant alone. A lethal-time assay also was conducted to examine survival of beetles exposed to Bt protein in their diet. Results from these assays indicate that adult rootworms are not significantly deterred by the presence of Cry3Bb1 on the treated discs and that ingestion of toxin does not adversely affect adult longevity.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Longevity and spontaneous flight activity of Culex tarsalis (Diptera: Culicidae) infected with western equine encephalomyelitis virus.

The longevity of an Iowa strain of Culex tarsalis Coquillett fed blood meals containing 2 concentrations of western equine encephalomyelitis virus from Iowa (WEE-7738) was compared with that of Cx. tarsalis fed blood without virus. Females exposed to 4.7-5.0 log TCID50 per mosquito of WEE-7738 did not live as long as mosquitoes exposed to 2.7-3.0 log TCID50 per mosquito or controls. Only 1% of mosquitoes fed blood containing the higher virus concentration survived to day 18 after exposure. However, 13% of mosquitoes fed blood with the lower virus titer and 19.5% of the controls were still alive on day 18 after exposure. Flight activity scores of Cx. tarsalis infected with 4.7-5.0 log TCID50 per mosquito of WEE-7738 were 27.5% lower, and there were 26.1% fewer spontaneous flights than noninfected controls from days 6-11 after infection. After day 8 after infection, infected Cx. tarsalis had 37.1% lower activity scores and 40.0% fewer spontaneous flights than noninfected controls. Virus infection did not affect how long a mosquito flew in a 24-h period (the daily flying time) or the duration of individual flights. The spontaneous flight activity pattern (circadian rhythm) of infected mosquitoes was identical to those of controls. Both infected and noninfected mosquitoes began spontaneous flight activity at 2000-2100 hours (CST) and were active throughout the entire dark phase of the 24-h cycle. Although mosquitoes were active throughout the night, there was a burst or peak of activity between 2200 and 2300 hours when the complete dark cycle began. These results indicate that the adverse effect of WEE infection on longevity and spontaneous flight activity of Cx. tarsalis may decrease vectorial capacity of Cx. tarsalis for WEE.

Animal Feed↗

PubMed1987

Factors affecting the longevity of total Japanese population.

To clarify the relative importance of social life factors in longevity by age and sex, the authors analyzed the effects of 8 social life factors on life expectancy at birth and at ages 20, 40 and 65 years for males and females in 46 Japanese prefectures. The analysis was conducted twice at five-year intervals during the period of rapid urbanization using stepwise regression analysis after classification of twenty-two variables by factor analysis. The results indicated that urban residence was the major factor for life expectancy at birth for males and females and at ages 20 and 40 years for males; whereas proportions of old and young persons in the population were essential factors for life expectancy at age 40 years for females and at age 65 years for males and females. In addition, in males, proportions of old and young persons in the population also positively affected life expectancy at birth and at age 20 years; employment and high income factor positively affected life expectancy at birth and at ages 20 and 40 years. Unique position of Japan in comparison with Western countries regarding social life factors for longevity is discussed in the light of these findings.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

The relation among emergence date, days until first effective mating, fecundity and adult longevity in Isoperla aizuana and Sweltsa sp. (Plecoptera).

The relation between emergence date and the factors concerned in reproduction were studied in the stoneflies Isoperla aizuana (Perlodidae) and Sweltsa sp. (Chloroperlidae) in the laboratory. Individuals emerging earlier had larger adult size and greater adult longevity. Fecundity was also related to emergence date, adult size, and adult longevity. Furthermore, individuals emerging earlier had more days until first effective mating and tended to mate more effectively than later-emerging individuals. The maturity of the reproductive tissue may differ with emergence date. While most of the later-emerging individuals had a lower rate of effective mating, longer-lived and larger size adults mated more effectively in females of Sweltsa sp. The differences in mating character might affect the effectiveness of mating.

Aging↗

PubMed2005

Evaluation of well-being, productivity, and longevity of pregnant sows housed in groups in pens with an electronic sow feeder or separately in gestation stalls.

OBJECTIVE: To compare well-being, performance, and longevity of gestating sows housed in stalls or in pens with an electronic sow feeder (ESF). ANIMALS: 382 pregnant sows of parities 1 through 6. PROCEDURE: Sows were housed in separate stalls (n = 176) or group pens (206) with an ESF. Well-being of sows was assessed at various time points in terms of injuries, salivary cortisol concentration, and behavior in a novel arena or to a novel object. Farrowing performance and longevity of sows were also assessed. RESULTS: Total injury scores (TIS) of sows in pens were significantly higher at initial introduction and mixing. In stall-housed sows, TIS was significantly higher during late gestation. The TIS and cortisol concentration were significantly lower in stall-housed sows, compared with values for sows in pens. As parity increased, the likelihood of higher median TIS decreased significantly in pen-housed sows and increased significantly in stall-housed sows. The TIS of sows in pens was negatively correlated with body weight and backfat thickness, whereas these correlations were positive in stall-housed sows. Farrowing performance and results for novel arena or objects did not differ. Proportion of sows removed was significantly higher for pens than for stalls; lameness was the major reason for removal for both systems. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Stalls impose space restrictions for larger sows, resulting in injuries during late gestation. Interventions are needed to minimize aggression during initial introduction and mixing and at the ESF in pens to reduce severe injuries or lameness of gestating sows.

Analysis of Variance↗