Based on discussions from the 30th International Centenarian Consortium (ICC), this article summarizes key achievements and future challenges in centenarian research for readers.
Since the first international gathering of centenarian researchers in Georgia, USA, in 1994, the ICC has evolved into a leading academic platform for global longevity research. This year was particularly significant as researchers from South America and Africa joined, marking the event as a truly international conference with participants from all six continents.
On the final day of the conference, Park Sang-cheol, a distinguished professor at Chonnam National University who has led centenarian research in Korea for over 30 years, joined Tom Perls, a professor at Boston University and founder of the New England Centenarian Study, and Peter Martin, a leading authority on clinical aging trajectories at Iowa State University, for a special discussion titled 'Lessons from Centenarians.'
The participants noted that the focus of longevity research has shifted over the past 30 years from 'Why do some people live to 100?' to 'How can we live healthily to 100?' As the extension of healthy lifespan has become a critical issue in aging societies, centenarian research is evolving to propose strategies for healthy aging.
From 'Why do people live to 100?' to 'How can we live healthily to 100?'
Park Sang-cheolIt is very meaningful that this year's ICC is being held in Gochang, Korea, marking its 30th anniversary. I began my research on centenarians in Korea in 1995, when centenarians were a rare demographic phenomenon with few subjects to study. However, 30 years later, we are asking entirely different questions. We no longer ask 'Why do some people live to 100?' but rather 'How can we live healthily to 100?' The extension of healthy lifespan has become a new challenge for humanity.
Tom Perls
I completely agree. In the early 1990s, we focused on finding the causes of longevity. Now, the core goal of research is to discover how to live healthily for a longer time. Centenarians are no longer rare. With the arrival of aging and super-aged societies, centenarian research has become an essential foundation for designing future health strategies for humanity.
Peter Martin
I also want to highlight that the most significant achievement of this ICC is the shift from lifespan-centered research to healthspan-centered research. This represents the greatest progress made in longevity research over the past 30 years.
Is Longevity Determined by Genetics or Environment?
Park Sang-cheolIn my long-term research on Korean centenarians, I developed the concepts of 'Longevity Index' and 'Super Longevity Index.' Analysis shows that longevity is generally higher in middle-altitude regions. However, when tracked over 20 to 25 years, longevity regions can change significantly. This cannot be explained solely by genetics. Various factors, including local environment, diet, community culture, healthcare access, and welfare policies, influence longevity.
Tom Perls
In contrast, I have studied centenarians from a genetic perspective. Findings from the New England Centenarian Study indicate that siblings of centenarians are much more likely to live long lives than the general population, with about 48% for males and 33% for females showing genetic influence. However, genetics alone cannot explain longevity. Recent studies suggest that when excluding external causes of death, genetics accounts for about half of lifespan variation. Ultimately, longevity results from the interaction between genetics and environment.
Peter Martin
I have been researching the area that connects both of your studies. My focus is on how genetics and environment interact within the human body. We utilized data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to track the health trajectories of individuals living from 90 to 100 years old. The conclusion is clear: reaching 100 is not achieved overnight but is the result of a life shaped over decades.
How Much Do Genes Explain Longevity?
Park Sang-cheolProfessor Perls raised an important question at this ICC: 'Why is centenarian genetics so challenging?'
Tom Perls
The reason is that longevity is not a single-gene trait. Longevity involves thousands of genes working simultaneously. Centenarians have a similar level of disease-related genes as the general population. The difference lies in protective genes. Genes such as APOE2, FOXO3A, CETP, and SIRT6 play crucial roles in immune regulation, fat metabolism, and DNA repair. Another important fact is that the influence of genes increases with age. Genetic characteristics become more pronounced in super-centenarians aged 105 and older.
Park Sang-cheol
In Korean centenarian research, we have also found intriguing results. Dr. Yoon Sa-jung's research team discovered that the DNA repair gene BRCA1 is remarkably stable in Korean centenarians. Additionally, a specific deletion variant in the ORAI1 gene has been confirmed to reduce chronic inflammation. This could provide important clues to understanding 'inflammaging,' a key mechanism of aging.
Tom Perls
The ORAI1 study was particularly impressive. It highlights the need to complement the genome standards that have been primarily built around Europeans. In the future, a pan-genome standard that integrates centenarian data from diverse ethnicities will be necessary. I believe Korean researchers are playing a significant leading role in this field.
The Last Decade from 90 to 100
Peter MartinThe most important finding from our research is 'morbidity compression.' Individuals who are in good health at age 90 tend to maintain relatively good function at age 100. This means that delaying the onset of disease is more important than the disease itself. The key to healthspan is not a life without disease, but a life where disease starts later.
Tom Perls
This connects to the concept of resilience that I emphasize. Centenarians are not perfectly healthy individuals. Many centenarians experience dementia or frailty. However, they maintain their function and live longer. They possess an exceptional ability to endure illness.
What Is It Like to Live to 100?
Park Sang-cheolWhat surprised me most is how much the lives of Korean centenarians have changed over the past 25 years. In 2001, most lived with their children. However, by 2025, more than half are living independently. Many centenarians are actively engaging in social activities and interacting with their local communities.
Peter Martin
That change can be attributed to the power of social policy.
Park Sang-cheol
Indeed. Basic pensions, long-term care insurance, and tailored care services have transformed the lives of centenarians. However, more importantly, centenarians themselves are choosing active lifestyles. Walking, volunteering, religious activities, and cultural engagements have become part of their daily lives.
Tom Perls
Social connections are closely linked to biological health. Loneliness and isolation increase chronic inflammation and accelerate aging. Conversely, those living within a community tend to live longer and healthier lives.
Practical Strategies for Healthy Longevity
Park Sang-cheolSo, what can the general public practice?
Tom Perls
Genetic research will ultimately lead to personalized preventive medicine. However, what can be practiced right now are healthy lifestyle habits. Exercise, balanced diets, maintaining a healthy weight, and forming social relationships are essential.
Peter Martin
And there's no need to think it's too late. Even at 90, it's not too late. Changes in healthy behaviors can be effective even at a very late age.
Park Sang-cheol
A study presented at this ICC by researchers from Hong Kong Polytechnic University illustrates this well. Just 12 weeks of lifestyle education significantly improved visceral fat and metabolic indicators. Healthy longevity is not solely a matter of advanced medical technology. It results from lifestyle, community, and ongoing self-management.
Conclusion
Park Sang-cheolAfter 30 years of researching centenarians, I have become convinced of one fact: centenarians are not extraordinary superhumans. They are the result of a long-term balance of genetics, environment, lifestyle, social relationships, healthcare, and welfare.
Tom Perls
There is no single secret to longevity. However, there is hope. We can slow the pace of aging and extend healthspan.
Peter Martin
That is why we conduct our research. To help more people reach 100 in health and dignity.
Park Sang-cheol
The slogan for the 30th ICC is 'Centenarians as Pioneers of the Well-Aging Era.' Centenarians have already walked that path. Now, science is following in their footsteps to map out a future of healthy longevity for all humanity. If the past 30 years were about discovering centenarians, the next 30 years will be about realizing the wisdom they have imparted into the lives of all people.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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