Longevity expert reveals intriguing eating habit of people who live to 100 – and why you should follow suit
If you want to reach your 100th birthday and receive a telegram from the King, a simple lifestyle change could prove key to your success.
For eating less in the evening — and having dinner earlier than usual — could be a way to boost your chances, one Italian longevity expert has said.
According to Dr Valter Longo, a researcher in ageing and biological science at the University of Southern California, the most common evening meal habit of long-lived centenarians is a ‘light and early dinner’.
This is because larger meals in the evening can make it harder for the body to metabolise the food, increasing the risk of health issues including high blood pressure and cholesterol, he said.
You should also aim to eat early enough, leaving 12 hours between dinner and breakfast the following day.
Research has long suggested it is not just what you eat but also when you eat that may impact longevity.
One landmark study published in 2022, suggested all food should be eaten within a 12-hour window to help the body effectively convert calories to energy.
Legumes, whole grains and vegetables formed a key part of their eating plan, dubbed the ‘longevity diet’, as did plenty of nuts and olive oil.
According to Dr Valter Longo, a researcher in ageing and biological science at the University of Southern California , the most common evening meal habit of long-lived centenarians is a ‘light dinner’
Speaking to GQ Magazine today, Dr Longo — who founded the famous 5:2 diet — said the key was to finish dinner three hours before you go to bed.
Eating too late can disrupt the circadian rhythms that govern how our body transitions from day to night and back again.
‘If you do have a bigger dinner, and you’re sleeping well, your cholesterol and blood pressure [are] fine, then you’re good,’ Dr Longo said.
‘But if you’re sleeping poorly, and you have [health] problems, maybe you should move to having a bigger breakfast, a bigger lunch and a smaller dinner, which usually seems to be the healthiest [pattern] of all.’
Last year, research suggested life expectancy across the world will rise by almost five years by 2050, with the average man forecasted to live to 76 and woman, past 80.
Global average life expectancy is forecast to increase to around 78.1 years of age in 2050, a rise of 4.5 years, The Lancet Public Health study also found.
The oldest living person in the world is now believed to be Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas
At the time, experts said the trend was largely driven by public health measures both preventing and improving survival rates from illnesses including cardiovascular disease, nutritional diseases and maternal and neonatal infections.
Commentators also said the figures present an ‘immense opportunity’ to ‘get ahead of rising metabolic and dietary risk factors’ such as high blood pressure and BMI.
The oldest living person in the world is now believed to be Brazilian nun Inah Canabarro Lucas, who was born on June 8, 1908 and is 116 years old.
At the age of 115, Ethel Caterham, from Surrey, is the oldest living person in the UK following the death of 112-year-old Mollie Walker on 22 January 2022.
The title of the oldest person to have ever lived belongs to French woman Jeanne Louise Calment whose life spanned 122 years and 164 days.
Ms Caterham, who died in 1997, attributed her longevity to ‘never arguing with anyone, I listen and I do what I like’.
Experts who have studied centenarians agree.
Physical activity, faith, love, companionship, and a sense of purpose make up the backbone of so-called ‘Blue Zones,’ or areas of the world where people typically live to 100 and beyond.
She was born on June 8, 1908 and is 116 years old. Pictured, celebrating her 116th birthday
At the age of 115, Ethel Caterham, from Surrey, is the oldest living person in the UK following the death of 112-year-old Mollie Walker on 22 January 2022
Maintaining an active lifestyle, even simply walking around town every day, has been shown to improve longevity.
Companionship has been shown to have a similarly positive effect on a person’s lifespan, with studies consistently showing loneliness is toxic.
The 5:2 method, made famous by much-loved TV diet guru and Daily Mail columnist Dr Michael Mosley, has long been lauded for improving blood sugar control and boosting brain function.
The health guru even found personal success with the 5:2 diet when he reversed his type 2 diabetes.
Studies in animals have also suggested it may boost the regenerative abilities of stem cells, fight cancer and even improve lifespan.
But, despite swathes of studies suggesting it works, experts remain divided over the effectiveness of intermittent fasting and the potential long-term health impacts.
