By Susana Lima
Â
During the Tenth International Seminar on Satisfactory Longevity, held in Havana, Cuba, the partial results of a national study was presented for more than 400 thousand centenarians since 2004.
Â
Surveyed Cuban Centenarians performed physical activity in the course of their lives showing in their old age much more mobility, less illness, less memory loss and greater satisfaction and good mood.
Â
One of the specialists involved in this research, Dr. Josefa Gonzalez said the number of centenarians increase in the island during the past years and the study aims to identify predictors of successful longevity. This research is not a tabloid, we want to apply these criteria in early stages of human existence, she added.
Â
More than two of the 11.2 million people in Cuba are older than 60 years and approximately 551 thousand people are over 100 years old.
Â
Luisa Bathilde Lima, a researcher who between 2008 and 2010 examined 80 centenarians living in areas of eastern Cuba could see that the country ranks second worldwide in the number of centenarians per capita exceeded only by the region of Sardinia in Italy. Lima concludes from her study that being obese or overweight is bad for longevity.
Â
The researcher concluded from her study that interviewed people with more than 100 years in the eastern region of Cuba shared the unique characteristics: Drinking coffee and being thin people. According to Lima, people reported eating a little and in several portions during the day with an established feeding schedule and a unique preference for milk.
Â
Most subjects were peasants, very active and of good character, demonstrating to have been good people over the course of their lives. The "head" of the Cuban centenarians is Juana de la Candelaria Rodriguez, who is 126 years and still, lives in the eastern province of Granma.
Â
Life expectancy at birth in this country is 78 years on average, 76 for men and 80 for women; which exceeded by 20% to men within the community of centenarians in Cuba.
Â
