I watched a 60 Minutes segment with Lesley Stahl called “Living to 90 and Beyond?” a while back. It profiled the University of California Irvine (UCI) 90 + study on aging, which observed seniors over 90, who lived in Laguna Woods, California, previously known as Leisure World. The segment revealed how these elderly seniors are staying active and healthy.
Over 14,000 residents of Laguna Woods were given questionnaires in the 1980s asking them about their diet, exercise, vitamin intake, activities, and medical history. Dr. Claudia Kawas led the study and was later able to locate 1600 original study volunteers who were still alive. One perky little lady, who was 95 at the time, drove a VW and walked 3 miles a day. She said she felt like she was in her 50s.
The 90+ age group is growing rapidly as people are living longer. What was so intriguing about the 60 Minutes segment was why the test volunteers were able to live to 90 and beyond. Some of the findings are contrary to what health gurus have been telling us in their zeal to market to the Baby Boomer market.
Important Findings on Longevity after 90:
- People who drink moderate amounts of alcohol or coffee live longer than those who don’t.
- Being slightly overweight in your 70s may help you live longer than those who are normal-weight or underweight.
- More than 40 percent of people 90 + suffer from dementia and almost 80 percent are disabled. Both conditions are more common in women than men.
- Half of those 90+ with dementia do not have sufficient Alzheimer’s-related plaque growth in their brains to explain their cognitive loss.
- Individuals 90 +who carry the APOE2 gene are less likely to have Alzheimer’s-like dementia but much more likely to have Alzheimer’s-related plaque growth in their brains.
- Poor physical performance is associated with an increased risk of dementia.
I was particularly interested in #2. I like the idea that being slightly pudgy is actually a good thing after all. Yee Haw! (Notice I said slightly pudgy and not obese.)
It’s difficult to determine what your “ideal weight” should be. I believe it should be based on the individual, because we’re all built differently, and age has to be considered. As we grow older, our metabolism slows down making it harder to remain as svelte as we were in our 20s.
I ran the numbers on a typical online weight chart for the ideal weight of a 60-year-old woman 5’2,” and came up with the following:
- Based on the Robinson formula (1983), 115.5 lbs.
- Based on the Miller formula (1983), 123.1 lbs.
- Based on the Devine formula (1974), 110.5 lbs.
- Based on the Hamwi formula (1964), 110.0 lbs.
- Based on the healthy BMI recommendation 101.1 lbs. – 136.7 lbs.
In my opinion, most of the weight recommendations are light for an “average” woman over 60.
This healthy BMI range for seniors is more reasonable.
| 5’2″ | <126 underweight | 136 to 147 ideal weight | >180 overweight |
Dr. Kawas warned that obesity is not a good thing when it comes to longevity. Just don’t feel guilty if you have a little squish.
Most of the 90+ test volunteers had a daily cocktail or two. People who drink 2 glasses of alcohol a day have a 10-15 percent reduced risk of death compared to non-drinkers. The 95-year-old perky lady, mentioned above, said she had a glass of wine every evening but didn’t always finish it. It doesn’t seem to matter what type of alcohol you drink. A martini has the same longevity benefits as wine. Sugar-laden cocktails are another story.
I was sitting next to a 101-year-old man while waiting to have a blood test one day and he told me he had a shot of scotch every evening. Drinking alcohol in moderation thins out the blood and prevents heart attacks.
Coffee also has health benefits. Many of the test volunteers had 1-2 cups of coffee a day.
The study revealed that the majority of the 90+ volunteers never took vitamins. For those who did, it made no difference how long they lived.
Exercising at least 15 minutes a day, whether it was walking, dancing, gardening, house cleaning, etc. affected the length of longevity in the test volunteers. However, the study found that those who exercised moderately 45 minutes or longer per day lived longer. By moderately, that means you don’t have to run a marathon, turn cartwheels, sweat excessively, or “feel the burn” in order to live longer.
Read more about the 7 best online exercise programs for women over 50
When study volunteers were asked if they ate dessert, most replied they happily indulged. It isn’t necessary to deprive yourself to live to 90 and beyond.
Mental decline in the test volunteers was also addressed in the study. The brains of some of them had significant amounts of plaque but they were still alert and cognizant. 40% of the cases studied had been misdiagnosed with Alzheimer’s. It was discovered that their memory problems stemmed from having a series of mini-strokes that could only be detected using a microscope. Dr. Kawas explained that the causes of the mini-strokes had not been determined, but she was hoping to find the answer soon.
Other factors that helped test volunteers live to 90 and stay mentally active included;
- reading
- socializing
- playing bridge and other games
- having a little romance
There’s nothing wrong with making whoopee at 90+ and many do.
You may enjoy my post about my conversations with actor Norman Lloyd who lived to be 106.
The takeaway – It isn’t too late to make changes in your lifestyle that may affect your outcome later on. The most important takeaway is to stay active and engaged. Use moderation when it comes to drinking, exercising, and taking the time to enjoy life. Eat a little cake and don’t worry so much about your weight.
Interesting side note: a friend of mine moved to Laguna Woods and is having the time of her life participating in musical and acting performances there. She even found a boyfriend and married him.
What’s your take on the study? Is there anything you will change in how you live your life to live to 90 and beyond? Please leave a comment below.
Leave a comment and tell us what you think