So, I got bored and started exploring supercentenarian studies, as well as looking at some individual articles on people who have lived past 110 and their habits. Not that I expect to live that long, but I find it interesting nonetheless.
The lifestyle traits, especially their diets, vary significantly, and here is a short list of the trends that I saw most frequently:
1: Genetics - Nearly every person who lives a long, long time, has a family in which several others also lived a long, long time.
2: Disposition - Almost all of them were kind, optimistic, relaxed, patient, etc. Angry, bitter people that worry a lot tend to die young even if they have otherwise healthy habits, while those with more relaxed dispositions tend to live longer even if they have habits typically regarded as unhealthy.
3: Small portions - How much they ate seemed to be more important that what they ate. Though this was not a trait they all shared, it was common enough to be noticeable. People who tend to not eat until they are full, whether by choice or geographic/social limitations, tend to live longer. Those who frequently splurge do not.
4: Sex - For various reasons, both social and biological, women tend to live longer.
5: Active - They were not fitness fanatics, nor were they sedentary. They were simply active, meaning they were usually out doing something.
6: Small - Not obese, not well built (as in muscular), not tall on average. Small, thin, unbuilt people seem to live longer.
The one thing I did not see a trend on was diet, with possibly one exception. Most of these people ate lots of fish. Other than that, their diets were all over the place. A few were vegetarian, some lived off pork.
But here is the unorganized list I mashed together as I went through various sites and some dietary and other notes I jotted down. Note that there are only so many from the United States because it was easier to find reliable information on them. There were plenty listed from other countries, but finding info on their dietary (and other) habits was a bit difficult.
Christian Mortensen (United States)
115
"Friends, a good cigar, drinking lots of good water, no alcohol, staying positive and lots of singing will keep you alive for a long time."
• Drank boiled water, vegetarian
George Francis
112
Credited his longevity to nature, and enjoyed a rich diet of pork, eggs, milk and lard. Gave up smoking cigars at the age of 75.
Walter Breuning (United States)
114
•Two meals per day. Big breakfast, hearty lunch, no evening meal, snacked on fruit instead. Drank lots of water plus a cup and a half of coffee with breakfast and one cup with lunch.
•Got up at 6:15 am and had breakfast at 7:30 am, and then exercised.
"We're all going to die. Some people are scared of dying. Never be afraid to die. Because you're born to die."
Yukichi Chuganji (Japan)
114
•Hated vegetables, but enjoyed regular meals of beef, pork, chicken, rice, miso soup and milk. Chewed caramels as a treat. Drank alcohol moderately.
•Optimist
Jeanne Louise Calment (France)
122
•Attributed her longevity to olive oil. Added it to nearly every food she ate and also rubbed it onto her skin.
•Drank port wine frequently
•1 kilo of chocolate every week
•Took up fencing at age 85
•Smoked until the age of 117, unspecified source says no more than 2 cigarettes per day.
Sarah Knauss (United States)
119
•Milk chocolate turtles, cashews, and potato chips
•Described as being a "sweet lady." Her daughter said nothing fazed her, and that was why she lived so long.
Tane Ikai (Japan)
116
•Diet often consisted of only three bowls of rice porridge a day
Kamato Hongo (Japan)
116
•Fish, rice, pork, occasional snacks of brown sugar. Drinks green tea, sometimes coffee, herb wine.
Anna Eliza Williams (UK)
114
•Strict no-pill policy and a meat and vegetable diet
Jiroemon Kimura (Japan)
114 (and still living)
•Small portions
Joan Riudavets (Spain)
114
•Olive oil, tomatoes, fish, bread
•guitar, singing, football
•unofficial record for oldest biker, still riding a bike at age 110
Maria de Jesus (Portugal)
115
•Pescetarian, rice pudding, ice cream, never smoked nor drank alcohol nor coffee.
Eva Morris (UK)
114
•Attributed her longevity to whisky and boiled onions.
Christina **** (Australia)
114
"had an interest in her music and food, particularly chocolate cake, and all her family; she was very much a family oriented person," her daughter said
Fred Hale (United States)
113
•Credited his longevity to bee pollen and honey and the occasional nip of whiskey
•Oldest registered beekeeper ever
Tomoji Tanabe (Japan)
113
•Fried shrimp, daily glass of milk, no booze, lots of vegetables, big meals.
"I tell you, I am happy."
I browsed through many more, but didn't write them all down
Top 10 Oldest People Ever
List of verified oldest women
List of verified oldest men
The lifestyle traits, especially their diets, vary significantly, and here is a short list of the trends that I saw most frequently:
1: Genetics - Nearly every person who lives a long, long time, has a family in which several others also lived a long, long time.
2: Disposition - Almost all of them were kind, optimistic, relaxed, patient, etc. Angry, bitter people that worry a lot tend to die young even if they have otherwise healthy habits, while those with more relaxed dispositions tend to live longer even if they have habits typically regarded as unhealthy.
3: Small portions - How much they ate seemed to be more important that what they ate. Though this was not a trait they all shared, it was common enough to be noticeable. People who tend to not eat until they are full, whether by choice or geographic/social limitations, tend to live longer. Those who frequently splurge do not.
4: Sex - For various reasons, both social and biological, women tend to live longer.
5: Active - They were not fitness fanatics, nor were they sedentary. They were simply active, meaning they were usually out doing something.
6: Small - Not obese, not well built (as in muscular), not tall on average. Small, thin, unbuilt people seem to live longer.
The one thing I did not see a trend on was diet, with possibly one exception. Most of these people ate lots of fish. Other than that, their diets were all over the place. A few were vegetarian, some lived off pork.
But here is the unorganized list I mashed together as I went through various sites and some dietary and other notes I jotted down. Note that there are only so many from the United States because it was easier to find reliable information on them. There were plenty listed from other countries, but finding info on their dietary (and other) habits was a bit difficult.
Christian Mortensen (United States)
115
"Friends, a good cigar, drinking lots of good water, no alcohol, staying positive and lots of singing will keep you alive for a long time."
• Drank boiled water, vegetarian
George Francis
112
Credited his longevity to nature, and enjoyed a rich diet of pork, eggs, milk and lard. Gave up smoking cigars at the age of 75.
Walter Breuning (United States)
114
•Two meals per day. Big breakfast, hearty lunch, no evening meal, snacked on fruit instead. Drank lots of water plus a cup and a half of coffee with breakfast and one cup with lunch.
•Got up at 6:15 am and had breakfast at 7:30 am, and then exercised.
"We're all going to die. Some people are scared of dying. Never be afraid to die. Because you're born to die."
Yukichi Chuganji (Japan)
114
•Hated vegetables, but enjoyed regular meals of beef, pork, chicken, rice, miso soup and milk. Chewed caramels as a treat. Drank alcohol moderately.
•Optimist
Jeanne Louise Calment (France)
122
•Attributed her longevity to olive oil. Added it to nearly every food she ate and also rubbed it onto her skin.
•Drank port wine frequently
•1 kilo of chocolate every week
•Took up fencing at age 85
•Smoked until the age of 117, unspecified source says no more than 2 cigarettes per day.
Sarah Knauss (United States)
119
•Milk chocolate turtles, cashews, and potato chips
•Described as being a "sweet lady." Her daughter said nothing fazed her, and that was why she lived so long.
Tane Ikai (Japan)
116
•Diet often consisted of only three bowls of rice porridge a day
Kamato Hongo (Japan)
116
•Fish, rice, pork, occasional snacks of brown sugar. Drinks green tea, sometimes coffee, herb wine.
Anna Eliza Williams (UK)
114
•Strict no-pill policy and a meat and vegetable diet
Jiroemon Kimura (Japan)
114 (and still living)
•Small portions
Joan Riudavets (Spain)
114
•Olive oil, tomatoes, fish, bread
•guitar, singing, football
•unofficial record for oldest biker, still riding a bike at age 110
Maria de Jesus (Portugal)
115
•Pescetarian, rice pudding, ice cream, never smoked nor drank alcohol nor coffee.
Eva Morris (UK)
114
•Attributed her longevity to whisky and boiled onions.
Christina **** (Australia)
114
"had an interest in her music and food, particularly chocolate cake, and all her family; she was very much a family oriented person," her daughter said
Fred Hale (United States)
113
•Credited his longevity to bee pollen and honey and the occasional nip of whiskey
•Oldest registered beekeeper ever
Tomoji Tanabe (Japan)
113
•Fried shrimp, daily glass of milk, no booze, lots of vegetables, big meals.
"I tell you, I am happy."
I browsed through many more, but didn't write them all down
Top 10 Oldest People Ever
List of verified oldest women
List of verified oldest men