Centenarians Genes and Lifestyle Contribute to Healthy Old Age
Tom Fudge: Americans these days are growing older. Life expectancy in this country has reached 78 years. When you think about that, consider the fact that life expectancy was only 64 years in the year 1960. At the turn of the 20th century, it was 48 years.
One of the fastest growing groups of people in America are those who live to be 100. This is partly due to the fact that the people who lived to be 100 have never been a large group, so it's easy to make it grow. But some medical researchers have gotten very interested in centenarians, and what their longevity may be able to tell us about human life and health.
Dr. Thomas Perls will be signing books and speaking about Living to 100 at the Vista Hill Women's Council on Mental Health beginning today, Feb. 26, 2008 at 11 a.m. at the Manchester Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego.
Guest
- Thomas Perls, professor of medicine and director of Boston University's New England Centenarian Study , the largest genetic and social study of centenarians and their families in the world. He is co-author of Living to 100 .
