• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.41-50
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• 2003

Objectives： The purpose of this paper is to analyze longevity factors of 507 centenarians in the Republic of Korea. Methods： This paper is designed to survey physical, mental, socio-demographic and dietary factors of 507 centenarians. The data was collected by means of telephone interview from 1999 to 2001. The survey directly contacted centenarians who were able to communicate, or contacted the centenarians caregivers. The association between longevity factors of centenarians was verified by odds ratio of logistic regression. Results： Female centenarians appeared to be non-smokers more often than males (OR＝4.06, CI＝2.06, 7.98). The longevity of persons with a small waist circumference was attributed to health promotion through eating lightly as well as keeping active including walking(OR＝2.37, CI＝1.36, 4.14). A higher probability for longevity is found among optimists who live a happy life and 1aught every day (OR＝26.15, CI＝11.61, 58.89). Among centenarians, vegetarians were shown to be light eaters. More ratios of vegetarians among centenarians included those who reside in a rural district, eat bean paste soup everyday, and consume small quantities of meat (OR＝5.12, CI＝3.24, 8.08). Conclusion： Women, manual workers, under poor to middle economic status, rural residents, optimists, light eaters, vegetarians and non-smokers seemed to have a higher probability of becoming centenarians in The Republic of Korea.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.429-440
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• 2019

Several studies have attempted to identify factors associated with longevity and maintenance of health in centenarians. In this study, we analyzed and compared the gut microbiota of centenarians in longevity villages with the elderly and adults in the same region and urbanized towns. Fecal samples were collected from centenarians, elderly, and young adults in longevity villages, and the gut microbiota sequences of elderly and young adults in urbanized towns of Korea were obtained from public databases. The relative abundance of Firmicutes was found to be considerably higher in subjects from longevity villages than those from urbanized towns, whereas Bacteroidetes was lower. Age-related rearrangement of gut microbiota was observed in centenarians, such as reduced proportions of Faecalibacterium and Prevotella, and increased proportion of Escherichia, along with higher abundances of Akkermansia, Clostridium, Collinsella, and uncultured Christensenellaceae. Gut microbiota of centenarians in rehabilitation hospitals were also different to those residing at home. These differences could be due to differences in diet patterns and living environments. In addition, phosphatidylinositol signaling system, glycosphingolipid biosynthesis, and various types of N-glycan biosynthesis were predicted to be higher in the gut microbiota of centenarians (corrected p < 0.05). These three metabolic pathways of gut microbiota can be associated with the immune status and healthy gut environment of centenarians. Although further studies are necessary to validate the function of microbiota between groups, this study provides valuable information on centenarians' gut microbiota.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.1-20
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• 2008

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in regions and social environmental factors for centenarians between two countries. The sample sizes for this paper were a total number of centenarians in the two countries. Centenarians from different regions were examined in conjunction with the social environmental factors of the longevity approach. Statistical analysis was done using the Pearson's coefficient of correlation and regression equations. It became evident that centenarians among two countries lived in regions with lower income levels, lower tobacco consumption, lower levels of air pollution, onion and barley productions, fewer motor vehicles, a lower divorce rate, lower unemployment, soybean and garlic productions, and less water pollution. The finding imply that centenarians among two countries lead to a life of longevity is the result not only social environmental factors reactions that have fresh air, clean water and health food but also of health behaviors that have bacco consumption and divorce rate. Also, these support future studies of improvement of social environmental pollution, agricultural products of health food, and health behaviors of nonsmoking for life of longevity.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.316-324
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• 2009

Purpose: The aim of the study was to identify the relationships among age, activities of daily living and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) for centenarians in Busan. Methods: Forty-nine centenarians (2 males and 47 females) participated in the study, done from April to July, 2006. Pace-to-face interviews were used to collect data. Activities of daily living were measured using K-ADL, K-IADL and health-related quality of life, using the Short Form Health Survey (SF-36). Results: Over 50% of the centenarians reported independence for six-items but not for bathing. With regard to type of dependency, 77.6% were independent in transferring, 71.4%, in using the toilet, 67.3%, in feeding and in continence and 57.1% in dressing but just 24.5% were independent in bathing. Age was significantly associated with K-IADL (r= -.303, p= .03). The centenarians were more impaired in physical health components compared to mental health components for health-related quality of life. Conclusion: These results may contribute to a better understanding of activities of daily living and health-related quality of life of centenarians. The findings are relevant to health professionals, in particular professionals who are developing wellness programs to optimize health-related quality of life and functional status for the extremely old age population.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.1195-1204
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• 2015

Increasing evidence suggests that gut microbiota underpin the development of health and longevity. However, our understanding of what influences the composition of this community of the longevous has not been adequately described. Therefore, illumina sequencing analysis was performed on the gut microbiota of centenarians (aged 100-108 years; RC) and younger elderlies (aged 85-99 years; RE) living in Bama County, Guangxi, China and the elderlies (aged 80-92 years; CE) living in Nanning City, Guangxi, China. In addition, their diet was monitored using a semiquantitative dietary questionary (FFQ 23). The results revealed the abundance of Roseburia and Escherichia was significantly greater, whereas that of Lactobacillus, Faecalibacterium, Parabacteroides, Butyricimonas, Coprococcus, Megamonas, Mitsuokella, Sutterella, and Akkermansia was significantly less in centenarians at the genus level. Both clustering analysis and UniFraq distance analysis showed structural segregation with age and diet among the three populations. Using partial least square discriminate analysis and redundancy analysis, we identified 33 and 34 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) as key OTUs that were significantly associated with age and diet, respectively. Age-related OTUs were characterized as Ruminococcaceae, Clostridiaceae, and Lachnospiraceae, and the former two were increased in the centenarians; diet-related OTUs were classified as Bacteroidales, Lachnospiraceae, and Ruminococcaceae. The former two were deceased, whereas the later one was increased, in the high-fiber diet. The age and high-fiber diet were concomitant with changes in the gut microbiota of centenarians, suggesting that age and high-fiber diet can establish a new structurally balanced architecture of gut microbiota that may benefit the health of centenarians.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.121-135
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• 2004

'Long-life' which has been the perennial interest to human beings also carries the risk of multiple losses such as the death of the family members and friends, the loss of physical and cognitive functions. In that regards, living a long life to be the 'oldest-old' could mean not only a 'symbol of successful aging' but also a hardship and low quality of life at the same time. Therefore, the issue of the quality of life of the oldest old has been the subject of the much of the public and research concern in recent days. While there has been increased awareness about the importance of the subjective aspects of the quality of life and meanings attached to the extended life, most researches on the quality of life of the oldest-old have focused only on the objective conditions of the quality of life such as health, economic status and housing conditions. To overcome these limitations this study aims to explore the subject meaning of 'living a long life' in Korean society by investigating centenarians and their caregivers' interpretations of aging experiences. Qualitative data were gathered from the forty-nine Korean centenarians and their caregivers through in-depth interview. Each interview was tape-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Researchers read each transcript a number of times to get some emerging themes. Most striking result was the fact that most of the centenarians express the 'guilty feelings' and try to offer the 'excuses' about their long life. This results were quite contrary to the results of the studies, done in Japan and western countries like Sweden, United States and Germany, where most of the oldest-old express quite positive interpretations about their long-life and take pride in their longevity. Lack of social support, cohort characteristics of the Korean oldest-old and the cultural interpretations linking the death of children to the long life of older generation are given as possible factors to these unique findings of Korean study. The policy implications of the results are discussed.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.55-68
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in longevity factors for 3 age groups: centenarians, octogenarians, and sexagenarians. There were 389 elderly Korean subjects who participated in this study. This included 109 centenarians who participated in the 1-wave study that examined the longevity factors using the health behaviors and psychological reactions. The study that examined the longevity factors by using odds ratio of the logistic regression analysis. The major findings indicate that female centenarians and octogenarians scored the highest in abstinence from alcoholic drinking than males from these same 2 age groups (OR=9.04, CI=4.04, 20.24). Centenarians scored higher in non-visiting hospitals (OR=11.48, CI=5.56, 23.70) and showed little emotion when watching sad scenes, upon comparison with the younger 2 age groups. Also, centenarians scored higher in laughter (OR=11.59, CI=5.04, 26.63), showing no anxiety (OR=12.49, CI=6.42, 24.32), and displaying indifference towards games, when compared with the younger 2 age groups. The findings imply that Korean centenarian leads to a life of longevity is the result not only of psychological reactions but also of health behaviors. Also, these results support future studies of improvement of longevity factors.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.109-119
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• 2010

Objectives: The aim of this paper is to analyze the heath factors for longevity index of survival rate in Korean centenarians, which contribute to longevity. Methods: The subjects of this paper included 996 centenarians in 276 regions of Korea that the data in this study was collected from the National Statistical Office, Republic of Korea in 2005. This paper that proposes indicators as follow: The ratio between the longevity index above 100 years old (100LI) and the survival rate above 65 years old (65SR): 100LISR. The study that examined the longevity factors that between 100LISR and health factors. Results: The results of this study showed that Gyeryong City (23 per 10,000 above 65 years old) included the most of 100LISR in Korea, followed by Cheju Island. The regression showed that significant predictors for longevity (100LISR) were non-drinking, non-smoking, garlic and root vegetable and elderly people are suffering serious health problems, they need caregivers for elderly care (R-Sq(%)=83.9, P=0.001). The correlation showed that significant factors as longevity were Sulfur dioxide (r=-0.677, p=0.004). Conclusion: The implications of this study are that longevity is to be fostered by promoting healthy behaviors of elderly and by inventing various policies to mitigate the environmental pollution.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.57 no.5
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• pp.508-510
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• 2024

Population aging is a global health priority due to the dramatic increase in the proportion of older persons worldwide. It is also expected that both global life expectancy and disability-free life expectancy will increase, leading to a significant rise in the proportion of individuals with extreme longevity, such as non-agenarians and centenarians. The inaccuracy of clinical evidence on therapeutic interventions for this demographic could lead to biased decision-making, influenced by age-related beliefs or misperceptions about their therapeutic needs. This represents a potential clinical ageism scenario stemming from gaps in clinical evidence. Such biases can result in 2 significant issues that adversely affect the health status and prognosis of older persons: polypharmacy and therapeutic inertia. To date, documents on polypharmacy in non-agenarians and centenarians account for less than 0.35% of the overall available evidence on polypharmacy. Furthermore, evidence regarding therapeutic inertia is non-existent. The purpose of this letter is to discuss polypharmacy and therapeutic inertia as potential clinical ageism scenarios resulting from the clinical evidence gaps in extreme longevity.

• Food Industry And Nutrition
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.27-33
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• 2011