People who reach 100 accumulate diseases more slowly, research shows

Living to see 100 is a major feat that has a common thread.

Recent studies of centenarians – people who are in their 100s – have found that they suffer from fewer diseases overall, develop them more slowly and are less likely to experience fatal conditions compared to people who live shorter lives.

One 2024 study from Sweden, published in the journal GeroScience, considered historical data from people over 60 years old born between 1912 and 1922.

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Researchers followed these individuals from 1972 to 2022, considering the age of their death and also medical complications like stroke, myocardial infarction, hip fracture and various cancers.

Centenarians were found to have a lower age-specific lifetime risk for all conditions except hip fractures, which suggests that 100-year-olds are able to delay and avoid many major age-related diseases rather than surviving them.

The findings challenge the idea that a longer life span inevitably leads to higher disease rates, the researchers stated.

Another study in August 2025, conducted by the same researchers and published in The Lancet, looked into how older individuals accumulate and manage health conditions over a lifespan, instead of avoiding them.

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The researchers tracked the health of participants born between 1920 and 1922, comparing the disease trajectories of centenarians to those who did not live as long.

Those 100 and older were found to have fewer diagnosed conditions and also accumulated diseases at a slower rate.

Centenarians have been found to have fewer diagnosed health conditions and to accumulate diseases more slowly. (iStock)

The researchers found that cardiovascular diseases were the most common diagnoses across all ages, but they contributed less to the overall disease burden among those who made it to 100.

Malignancies, like cancer cells that typically spread, were more largely present in centenarians, while neuropsychiatric conditions, such as anxiety disorders and dementia, were less common.

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People in their 100s were also found to have fewer diseases occurring at the same time and were more likely to have conditions confined to a single disease group.

“Future research should aim to identify genetic, epigenetic and environmental factors underlying these patterns to inform early-life preventive strategies that promote longevity and resilience,” the researchers noted.

People born in the 1920s avoided harmful food additives and radiation for many years, a gerontologist said. (iStock)

What sets centenarians apart

Dr. Macie P. Smith, a licensed social worker and gerontologist based in South Carolina, said it makes “complete sense” that people who avoid serious illnesses like stroke and heart disease live beyond 100 years old.

People who have reached 100 are considered “traditionalists,” who have typically avoided exposure to harmful elements such as radiation, additives, preservatives and artificial coloring in foods, Smith told Fox News Digital.

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“They also were not exposed to an abundance of modern medicine,” she said. “They relied more on natural remedies and organic foods.”

Modern-day technology and global connections, which were not available to centenarians, could also contribute to stress and other mental health factors, according to Smith.

Modern-day technology and global connections, which were not available to centenarians, could also contribute to stress and other mental health factors, an expert said. (H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Getty Images)

“They had the ability to mind their own business while reducing their stress levels,” she said. “That alone brings about longer life … When you mind other people’s business, you take on other people’s problems, thereby increasing stress levels. This is called vicarious trauma.”

Smith also believes the older generation is more “free-spirited.”

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“They didn’t take on the restrictions that we take on today to look a certain way or be a certain way in public,” she said. “There was a lot less scrutiny back in those days.” 

“Yes, they had their struggles that we don’t see today; however, they just showed up in a different way, and they were handled in a different way.”

Adopting a healthy lifestyle now will help ward off health complications later, a doctor said. (iStock)

Choosing your path when you’re younger will determine how you live when you’re older, Smith noted, whether it’s independently or dependently, or living on your own or in a community.

Making healthy lifestyle decisions early on can also significantly reduce the risk of complications in the future, which can impact longevity.

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Smith recommends eating a low-fat, low-salt, brain-healthy diet and eliminating processed foods, while managing stress, engaging with family and friends, staying active and getting adequate sleep.

“This will prolong life and improve the quality of life,” she said.