Children of centenarians experience a significantly lower risk of death, cardiovascular disease, and hypertension compared to peers whose parents died younger, according to a study published in JAMA Network Open. Researchers analyzing health data across multiple long-term databases found that having at least one parent reach age 100 confers substantial health advantages, though experts caution that reaching advanced age still requires a combination of genetics and proactive lifestyle management.
What Long-Term Studies Reveal About Centenarian Offspring
For the study published in August, researchers examined health data from more than 4,000 children of centenarians drawn from three separate long-term projects. Lead author of the study and staff scientist in the department of medicine at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Eric Reed, stated that merging these databases enabled the research team to detect distinct patterns linked to healthy aging.
The evaluation included the LonGenity study, which enrolled Ashkenazi Jewish individuals in New York City with long-lived parents between 2008 and 2024. It also incorporated the New England Centenarian Study, tracking participants from 1995 to 2024, alongside medical data from the U.K. Biobank spanning 2006 to 2010 with follow-ups through 2022. Steven Austad, a distinguished professor and Protective Life endowed chair in healthy aging research at the University of Alabama at Birmingham who was not involved in the research, noted that the U.K. Biobank provided the real advance by supplying a diverse mix of about 500,000 participants whose parents lived to varying ages.
Did you know? Even after accounting for lifestyle factors, the children of centenarians showed a 32 percent lower risk of hypertension, a 33 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease, and a 42 percent lower risk of death during the study period than the control groups.
Luigi Ferrucci, a senior investigator in the longitudinal studies section at the National Institute of Aging who did not participate in the research, pointed out that previous studies established connections between parental longevity and slower cognitive decline or lower rates of coronary artery disease. However, this new research stands out by demonstrating consistent outcomes across three distinct populations.
Genetics Versus Lifestyle in Human Lifespan
While the data confirms that family history plays a powerful role, experts continue to debate the exact balance between inherited biology and personal environment. Historically, epidemiological models attributed about 25 percent of lifespan to genetics and 75 percent to environmental factors, according to S. Jay Olshansky, an emeritus professor of epidemiology at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
However, newer research published in January in the journal Science challenges that breakdown. By analyzing Scandinavian twin data and correcting for outside causes of death such as accidents and infections, researchers concluded that heritability accounts for roughly a 50 percent influence on human lifespan. Olshansky explained that genetics exert their strongest influence once individuals reach old age, when the baseline risk for chronic conditions like cardiovascular disease spikes.
“For these extreme cases, if you live to be 100 years old, you need to have some special genes. You can’t just do it because you led a good, clean life,” Austad said. Rather than pointing to a single longevity gene, current scientific consensus suggests that roughly a dozen genes with small individual effects combine to create a significant protective advantage, according to Ferrucci and Austad.
Actionable Steps to Maximize Your Genetic Potential
Although the vast majority of the population will not reach 100—given the 43-year gap between current U.S. life expectancy at 79 and Jeanne Calment’s age of 122—individuals can still take concrete steps to optimize their health span. Study co-author Paola Sebastiani, who directs the Center for Quantitative Methods and Data Science at Tufts Medical Center, stressed that the primary objective of this research is to discover methods for extending the period of time people remain healthy.
- Commit to regular physical activity: Health guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise weekly. Ferrucci notes that exercise targets chronic disease mechanisms globally, mitigating muscle mass loss and supporting bone and cardiovascular health.
- Maintain a balanced diet: Olshansky advises consuming whole foods, fruits, vegetables, and healthy protein sources while cutting back on processed foods, added sugars, and saturated fats to lower obesity and high cholesterol risks.
- Prioritize preventive healthcare: Routine medical checkups catch early-stage issues before they become fatal. Olshansky, who is 72, relies on a dedicated team of specialists—including a dermatologist, eye doctor, cardiologist, dentist, and general internist—to spot early warning signs.
Pro tip: Modern medical advancements allow individuals to manufacture additional survival time, but maximizing lifespan still requires a disciplined approach to diet, movement, and routine screenings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What did the JAMA Network Open study discover about centenarian children?
Researchers found that children of centenarians had a 42 percent lower risk of death, a 33 percent lower risk of cardiovascular disease, and a 32 percent lower risk of hypertension compared to individuals whose parents did not live to 100.
Do genetics or lifestyle matter more for living to 100?
Recent research suggests a 50/50 split between genetics and environmental factors for human lifespan. While healthy habits are essential, experts state that reaching extreme old age requires specific genetic advantages.
Can you live a long life without centenarian parents?
Yes. While parental longevity offers statistical advantages, experts emphasize that anyone can maximize their personal health span through regular exercise, a whole-foods diet, and consistent preventive medical checkups.
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