The Centenarians: An Emerging Population

Abstract

Long life is a topic of great interest in medicine and among the general public. The “successful aging” which is a high priority for individuals and societies, is aging without any disabilities and severe diseases. In several countries, the increase in life expectancy has led the very old to become the fastest growing segment of the population. Centenarians are subjects living 100 years or older. The majority of centenarians are females (female to male ratio around 3.6/1). A very small fraction of centenarians (up to 0.5%) will live 110 years or older (supercentenarians). Most centenarians have managed to avoid, postpone, or overcome the important age-related and life-threatening diseases and disabilities (e.g., ischemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer, respiratory infection, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and dementia). Some forecasts suggest that most babies born in developed countries since 2000 will become centenarians. In 2020, the number of centenarians in the world was approximately 573,000, mainly from the United States of America (USA). This number could reach approximately 3,676,000 by 2050. In the absence of the genetic predisposition to become centenarian, there are several ways to extend longevity (e.g., lifestyle, reduction of several life-threatening diseases and disabilities, hormonal replacement or blockade, antioxidants, maintenance of a proper autophagic activity, stem cell therapy, and gene therapy). The continuous increase of the number of centenarians has worldwide practical implications including profound impact on intergenerational interactions and significant financial challenges for any society, especially in relation to medical expenses.