How many years did the oldest person in the world live. The oldest person on Earth: who is he

Health 10/17/2016

Dear readers, today on the blog I want to talk about the phenomenon of longevity. Gerontologists and other specialists involved in the study of the capabilities of the human body assure that we live criminally little. The human body from birth is programmed for 100-120 years of not just existence, but active being. That is, we live on average 30-40% less than the time allotted by nature. Why? There are many reasons, but now we will talk about them only indirectly. Using the example of unique long-lived people, we will see what gives people the strength to go through life for so long, and often, and fruitfully.

Who is considered long-livers?

Remember old movie Makropulos' Remedy based on a play by Karel Capek? The author put philosophical question: But is immortality such a blessing for us, to which a person sometimes carelessly strives? Well, if not immortality, but to live a very long time - this is also sometimes heavy burden. “Old age is not a joy,” sometimes people of retirement age sigh.

From the point of view of the "champions" of longevity, the centenarians of the world from the Guinness Book of Records, they are very young, but tired of life. However, there are enough such “old men” even among 30-year-olds. Therefore, we will talk here, first of all, not about long years in general, but about how individual people manage to accomplish the almost impossible: to remain both at 100 years old and at a more respectable age in a clear mind and in physical health.

To begin with, it is worth deciding on who should be considered centenarians?

It is generally accepted to refer to this category of people whose age is more than 90 years. This figure is enshrined in the WHO classification.

Needless to say, there are many such people in the world. Even in our country, traditionally criticized for low life expectancy, about 350 people have exceeded this age limit. And every year the number of "elders" continues to grow.

The second significant point: whether the person has official documents confirming the date of his birth. This is more difficult, after all, the world has experienced two global wars and many other cataclysms over the past century, and purely family problems sometimes lead to the loss of such papers. Therefore, there are so-called verified centenarians of the world and unofficial, conjectural. The latter have to provide some indirect evidence of their records.

An indisputable fact: there are many more women who are centenarians than men. This, too, is baffling scientists. Although in general the life expectancy of the "strong" sex is almost universally less than that of their fairer halves. There are quite objective reasons for that. The main one is the one on the surface: they more diligently shorten their lives with bad habits, and sometimes with excessive workload.

Phenomenon of place: Japan, small villages in Italy and a tribe in India

The question of binding this phenomenon to the terrain is also interesting. Why do people live much longer in some countries and certain regions than in others? Ecology, the level of medicine and social benefits, food traditions - these and many other factors are taken into account by researchers. But these statistics do not give exact and comprehensive answers. The secret still remains.

It is well known that many people of a very respectable age live in mountainous areas planets (but not too high, where the air is already very thin). Georgia, Azerbaijan, Abkhazia and other territories former USSR marked by this advantage, also many of the world's longest-lived people live in Japan.

In the Land of the Rising Sun, more than 40 thousand citizens have passed the 100-year mark. The UN has made a forecast that by 2050, if the trend continues, there will already be a million centenarians in this country. This even causes fears of those in power: the nation is aging, the percentage of older Japanese in total strength population is constantly increasing.

86% of the age record holders are women, and Japan is no exception. If you look through the lists of official centenarians of the world, then there we will see many representatives of this country. Let's say Misao Okawa passed away last year at the age of 117 years and 27 days. And now the living Nabi Tajima on October 16, 2016 was 116 years and 72 days old.

Scientists from Italy have recently published the results of research on the phenomenon of the inhabitants of the village of Acciaroli. 300 people there are over 100 years old. Moreover, they work and live actively, enjoying all the joys of life, including sexual ones! You can read about this in And here you can also learn a lot of interesting things about how modern medicine can help everyone who seeks to extend their earthly path.

But here's what scientists can't unravel, so it's a mystery. We will not find the names of its representatives in the ratings of the long-livers of the world of the book of records, probably, they simply have no time to deal with formalities. But, having lived for more than 110 years (and, without exception!) These natives see perfectly, have excellent teeth without signs of caries, and generally have enviable health.

The only secret that is visible to the naked eye is the dietary habits of the tribe members. They eat fruits and raw vegetables, and eat meat only on major holidays. They prepare juices for future use, drink them in the most difficult times, when a new harvest or weather has not arrived in time, nature presents unpleasant surprises.

Other distinguishing feature hunza - constant physical activity, hardening, brought up by the habit of swimming in cold water. 60-year-old women of the tribe calmly give birth to healthy strong men and live, in the full sense of the word, happily ever after. By the way, this is precisely what may be the most important factor in their resilience: impenetrable optimism!

Other record-breaking countries for the number of centenarians

The same rule is followed by the long-livers of the world today, living in Abkhazia. There long term life surprises no one, almost 3% of the population in their passports have dates of birth of the beginning of the last century. " Evil people they don’t live long” - this is one of the most common Abkhaz sayings.

More than 80 thousand people in the United States also belong to centenarians. Everything is different here: not brilliant environmental indicators, a high pace of existence with inevitable stresses. But the country can boast of a very high level life in general and medicine in particular.

The example of Cuba is even more impressive. Here, for 11 million people, there are 3,000 centenarians and those who have exceeded this age limit. Again, the secret is in the close attention of the state to health issues.

Taiwan has long been considered another "hotbed of longevity". There are over 1,200 people aged 100 and over in a small country. Here, apparently, the issue is Eastern traditions food and unhurried being, a philosophical attitude to the world.

Legends of the world: undocumented "champions"

There lived such a character in China: Li Chung-yan. He left for another world in 1933 and assured that the year of his birth was 1680, that is, he lived for 253 years. He did not hide the origins of his cheerfulness: exercise stress, special breathing exercises and ... oriental equanimity. “The heart must be kept at rest and sleep as in last time"- he taught others.

What do historical facts say about this? Archivists found documents where we are talking about congratulating a person named Lee Chung-yan Chinese emperor. And the supreme ruler congratulated him on his glorious anniversaries of 150 and 200 years. Whether this is the same person or a full namesake, a relative of the centenarian of the 20th century, remains a big question. But I really want to believe!

Other centenarians of the world called different dates: for example, the Hungarians Zoltan Petrazh and Petr Zortai assured that they lived 186 and 185 years, respectively. Pakistani Mahammad Afziya - 180, as well as a number of representatives of other countries.

In the Soviet Union they even released postage stamp in honor of Mukhamed Eyvazov. He died in 1959 at the age of about 151.

And here instructive story from English experts in antiquity. King Charles in 1935 invited the peasant Thomas Parr to London, who assured that he was 152 years old, he survived 9 kings. Karl did not stint on magnificent celebrations. But after a plentiful feast, a unique guest died. It was officially announced that from pneumonia, he was buried with honors in Westminster Abbey. But most scholars agree that the real reason the tragic ending was a banal overeating at the royal table.

Longevity world record holders

If you look at the lists proposed by Wikipedia, then they list the 100 most “long-playing” inhabitants of the planet, whose proven age at the time of death exceeded 114 years. The lists of the “younger” ones, aged 100 and older, are much longer.

And here again we meet with riddles and contradictions. If decent living conditions help to enjoy years somewhere, then how to explain the phenomenon of Maggie Pauline Barnes, who lived 115 years 319 days (from 1882 to 1998). This is truly unique: she is the only representative of the centenarians of the world who were born into slavery.

The mentioned lists and examples from the Guinness Book of Records also mention the names of American women Bessie Cooper, Elizabeth Bolden, Japanese woman Tane Ikai, representative of Ecuador Maria Capovilla and dozens of other “champions” who have crossed the line of 116-year life expectancy. And Sarah Knauss at the time of her death was over 119 years old (she is from the USA).

Japanese Tane Ikai said that her success is connected with her love for seafood, which she always preferred in nutrition. But the Canadian Maria Louise Mailer safely reached the age of 117 years and 230 days, but all her life she worked tirelessly, moreover, in difficult conditions. Two husbands, 10 children. In addition, Maria did not refuse a glass or two of wine, but quit smoking on her 90th birthday.

There are few men in this glorious cohort. In the Guinness Book of World Records category of centenarians, the name of a Japanese who lived a little over 116 years is recorded. This is Jiroemon Kimura. Christian Mortensen, a Dane who emigrated to the USA, enjoyed life for 115 years and 252 days. Puerto Rican Emiliano Mercado del Toro is also among the record holders with a total of 115 years 163 days. There are several more "junior" champions.

Jeanne Calment: frenetic Frenchwoman

For many years, Jeanne-Louise Calment led the list of the longest-livers in the world with a phenomenal result of 122 years and 164 days (1875-1997). Just imagine: she could see the first flight of the Wright brothers, survived two world wars and a bunch of other significant events in world history.

I suggest watching a video about her and about the Top 10 centenarians of our planet.

It turns out that her recipe for success is constant physical activity. The bike, and not a pleasure bike, she was almost a pro in racing! And at the age of 85, she learned to fence decently. Before last days was in memory and a clear mind, distinguished by an excellent sense of humor. And a taste for good clothes!

Louise Kalman explained her record by the ability to follow a simple rule: "When problems cannot be solved, there is no need to worry."

By the way, the frantic Frenchwoman did not eat nectar and ambrosia at all. Do you know when she denied herself the pleasure of drinking a glass of port every day? At 117 years old! One unfortunate notary decided to “benefit” the 92-year-old Jeanne-Louise by undertaking to pay her a life annuity. She lived another 30 years, having outlived the notary for a long time, which did not wait for her modest apartment.

Antisa Khvichava: an example of diligence

But who should be considered officially recognized as the longest-lived person in the world in the entire history, at least the modern one? This is Antisa Khvichava, an ordinary Georgian woman who did not live long enough to reach the milestone of 133 years. For 85 years she worked on tea plantations.

There are documents confirming the authenticity of the fact of her birth in 1880. This was recognized by the specialists of the Guinness Book of Records, who issued the corresponding certificate to the Georgian woman.

Antisa Khvichava was illiterate, so she did not undertake to tell the numerous guests about the origins of her uniqueness. But she was interested in the latest in science, she wanted to learn how to use a computer. Her quickness of mind and natural curiosity remained with her until her last breath.

And what do scientists know about the secret of longevity?

Let's try to draw some conclusions. Who are they, the long-livers of the world: people who have made themselves or the lucky ones, the minions of fate?

Of course, much is being done in terms of general development health care, increasing the life expectancy of entire countries and peoples. Child mortality rates are declining, much has been done in terms of finding new methods of treating oncology and diseases of the cardiovascular system. But they still take the most human lives, making his black edit to the statistics.

University of California anatomy professor Leonard Hayflick discovered an interesting pattern: human life expectancy and the ratio of brain weight to body weight are proportionally related. The more private it is, the longer life. According to him, aging begins when we stop growing. In fact, from 30 years, or even earlier. But sharks, Galapagos tortoises and a number of other creatures age very slowly, because almost all their lives they grow a little, but grow in size.

Paracelsus, meanwhile, was sure that a person could live 600 years. His Russian colleagues Ilya Mechnikov and Alexander Bogomolets gave us a term of 160 years.

We can say that the process is influenced by heredity, and this is partly true. Ecology, nutrition, a healthy lifestyle are all factors of influence. But, even from the above examples, it is clear that "our" centenarians were not angelic beings. Some drank, by the way, some, even quite decently, others smoked or even smoked recklessly, others abused coffee.

The Irish landowner Brown, who is believed to have lived to be 120 years old, bequeathed to make himself a gravestone inscription. Here is her text: "He was always drunk and so terrible in this state that death itself was afraid of him."

Here are the thoughts for all of us... But there is, there is one thing in common that unites all the centenarians of the world - this is an inexhaustible love of life, optimism. They lived long because they sincerely loved life. And she repaid them in return.

I wish you all good health and the simple joys of life. We all have something to learn from centenarians: the same positive attitude, hard work and a calmer attitude to stress.

And for the soul, we will listen today Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Piano Concerto No. 23 , in A major, 2nd movement Adagio. Piano: Vladimir Horowitz. Listen to such beautiful music more often. Mozart is light, purity and just spiritual joy.

Who is considered long-lived

Officially, an old person is classified as a centenarian when he turns 90 years old. There are a lot of ninety-year-old people on Earth: only in Russian Federation there are more than 350 thousand of them. If we are talking about the oldest in the world, the age bar rises to 110 years. The number of centenarians who celebrated their 110th anniversary is many times less. The gap between the two groups is enormous.
For statistics, it is most important to find and verify the authenticity of documents confirming the date of birth. However, unlike electronic media, paper is a very unreliable material. The last century has been a turbulent one for humanity. The world was shaken by many cataclysms, wars, epidemics, large-scale migrations, which did not contribute to the good preservation of archives and documents.

Today, the oldest inhabitants of the world are usually divided into three groups:
Verified. This group includes those who managed to provide official confirmation of the date of birth: state or church metrics.

Pending verification. The authenticity of age documents is under investigation.
Conjectural. Exact written evidence in favor of the longevity of these people has not yet been recorded.
To date, over 1060 names have been included in the verified list of the oldest people on the planet.

Secrets of the oldest people in the world

The close attention of scientists to the problems of longevity has led to a careful study of the lifestyle, diet and areas of residence of centenarians. This is the special science of aging - gerontology. Some discoveries in this area can be made just by looking at the list of names.

Listed only by women

The first pattern is the overwhelming dominance of women among centenarians. In the general list of the oldest people in the world, only 10% of men, and its top ten is represented exclusively by the female sex. This trend is true for almost all countries, regardless of the standard of living, the development of medicine and other factors.
The fact that the life expectancy of the female population of the Earth is much longer, doctors explain physiological reasons. In other words, nature itself made sure that the fair sex lived much longer. In particular, it has been proven that female hormones rejuvenate the body.

Don't be born beautiful, but be born... Japanese

The second feature: 5 of the 10 oldest living people in the world are residents of Japan. The Land of the Rising Sun has been holding the palm for the number of long-lived for several decades. According to statistics, for every 100,000 people in Japan, there are 35 people who are over 100 years old.
The explanation of the Japanese phenomenon of longevity lies in the field of gastronomic addictions. The fact is that the diet of the Japanese has long been replete with seafood: algae, fish, shellfish. Some experts in gerontology believe that if the "elixir of youth" formula is ever discovered, its main ingredient will be seaweed.

Rating of the oldest people in the world of the living

Behind dry numbers and dates are life full of events, more than a century long. Have you ever thought about what it is like for a person who in his youth caught the sinking of the Titanic and the collapse of great empires to live in peace in his old age computer technology and smartphones? Our hero succeeded. Let's talk about these amazing destinies in a little more detail.

The oldest person on Earth - Chiyo Miyako

Chiyo Miyako received the honorary title not so long ago. This happened on April 21 after the death of compatriot Nabi Tajima. Born in 1900, the ex-long-liver died at the age of 117 and became the progenitor for 160 descendants. Tajima has always considered excellent sleep and national dance classes to be the secret of her longevity.
The current record holder Chiyo Minako lives in Japan's Kanagawa Prefecture. The oldest inhabitant of the world was born on May 2, 1901. She also bears the title of the oldest living person on Earth, born in the 20th century. Detailed details of her life to the general public are not yet known.

The second of the oldest - Giuseppina Proetto-Frau

The second place belongs to the representative of sunny Italy - Giuseppina Proetto-Frau, who turned 116 in May. The famous long-liver of the world was born on the island of Sardinia. Here she married and had three children. In the post-war 1946 she moved to Florence, where she lives today under the care of her daughter. J. Proetto-Frau is the oldest inhabitant of Europe.

Third in the ranking - Kane Tanaka

On the honorable third position - 115-year-old Kane Tanaka from Japan. In the 70s, she visited America, visiting her relatives. When the centenarian turned 107 years old, her son wrote a book about the secrets of Tanaka's longevity. It can be recommended reading for those who seek to get closer to her record.
Today, the famous Japanese woman lives in Fukuoka Prefecture in a nursing center. Despite her venerable age, Kane Tanaka does not complain about her memory: she loves to write poetry and often recalls her trips to America.

The oldest man - Masazo Nonaka

According to official documents, the most old man the world is also from Japan. The long-liver was born on July 25, 1905 on the island of Hokkaido, where he lives to this day. Masazo Nonaka is 112 years old. He became the oldest man on Earth not so long ago: 01/29/2018 after the death of Nunez Oliver at the age of 113 years. Nonaka is a fan of sumo fights and Japanese opera. Like many famous centenarians loves sweets.
Despite the fact that life expectancy in the world is growing every year, the age limit remains unchanged. Nobody managed to overcome the 120-year milestone in the 20th century. Gerontologists compare this phenomenon with a kind of insurmountable barrier. If the oldest person on Earth lives to be 120 years old, it will now become a scientific sensation.

TOP 3 oldest people who have already passed away

List of age champions for the entire world history contains many more names.

The oldest French woman - Jeanne Calment

An unsurpassed record for all times and peoples belongs to the Frenchwoman Jeanne Louise Kalman. She was born back in 1875, and died in 1997, only three years before the beginning of the 21st century. Her age achievement of 122 is listed in the Guinness Book of Records. Today it is considered the maximum of officially confirmed in the world.
If it were not for the fantastic longevity, the biography of Jeanne Calment cannot be called extraordinary. Born in Arles, she lived in her homeland all her life, where she married and had a daughter. At the age of 110, the long-liver settled on a full board in a nursing home, where she spent a happy 12 years.
Answering numerous questions about how she managed to reach such a venerable age, Kalman spoke about her calm nature and stress-free life. She couldn't be called a fan healthy lifestyle life. It is well known that Jeanne smoked a lot, preferred good French wine and sweet desserts.

American record holder - Sarah Knauss

The American record holder was born in Hollywood on August 24, 1880. She worked as an insurance agent, after marriage and the birth of her daughter, she became a housewife. She was a skilled dressmaker and maintained her independence all her life. She died at the age of 119. Interestingly, her daughter lived to be 101 years old, which once again confirms the theory of the genetic nature of longevity.

Longevity from Japan - Jiroemon Kimura

The oldest man on Earth is again from the Japanese archipelago. It is undeniable that this nation knows the secret component of extending the human "shelf life".
Jiroemon Kimura's hometown is Kyoto. Here he was born in 1897 and worked as a postman until he retired. In his declining years he took up agriculture. He died at the age of 116, keeping active and interested in life. According to Kimura, a balanced diet, living in nature and farming helped him live a long and active life.

The truth is somewhere near

Analyzing age-related phenomena, gerontologists could not even draw up an approximate formula for longevity. A group of scientists conducted a large-scale study of old people around the world who have reached the age of 115. In the final report, they admitted that they did not find a single parallel that unites all the observed. Except one - hereditary predisposition.
Paradoxically, among the oldest there are people from different countries world, wealthy and poor families, housewives and employed physical labor throughout life. The dependence of age on profession, nutrition or access to medical care was not confirmed.
As for culinary preferences, it turned out one interesting fact: most centenarians of the world adored fruits and chocolate products. Doctors suggest that the antioxidants contained in these products helped to maintain health.

In this regard, it is worth mentioning the mythical hero, who can be considered the oldest person on planet Earth. The Bible indicates the exact age of the life of Saint Methuselah - 969 years. His constant food was fruit and honey. Historians have different attitudes to the sensational evidence of the ledger new era. However, the name of the progenitor of mankind began to bear a common sense, denoting enviable longevity.
It is possible that the discovery of the longevity gene, which will help everyone to live the "Methuselah age" is not far off.

The oldest person on the planet is a relative and multilateral concept. It may refer to official statistics, and ancient legends, eyewitness accounts. You can name the names of living centenarians or remember those who have already gone to another world.

Throughout the history of civilizations, man has always strived for immortality. But what is immortal life- the ultimate dream or a curse? Be that as it may, people are mortal and only the Creator knows how much is destined for each of us. However, some representatives of our family managed to push the age bar so far that this fact causes sincere surprise and keen interest. Our today's story is about them - the oldest people on Earth.

Who is considered longevity?

An elderly person is included in the category of centenarians if he has crossed the ninety-year milestone. There are quite a lot of such people in the world, for example, in Russia there are about 350,000 of them. If they talk about the very best, this bar is raised to 110 years. There are already much fewer centenarians who have celebrated their centennial anniversary on the planet. The gap is huge.

The paramount issue for statistics is to find authentic documents confirming the venerable age of a person. Over the past century, the world has been shaken by many wars, natural disasters, which often led to the loss of metrics and other written sources. Therefore, the list of persons over 110 years old was divided into three categories:

Verified - available official document about date of birth: state certificate or an entry in the parish register.
Pending Verification - the reliability of documents is studied by experts.
Conjectural - no obvious evidence of longevity has been found.
The Gerontological Research Group deals with the issues of longevity verification.

Worth mentioning separately mythical characters, saints of various denominations, to whom legends and religious writings attribute hundreds of years of life. So the Bible says that the famous progenitor of mankind, Methuselah, lived for 969 years, eating only honey and fruits. His name has acquired a common sense to denote longevity ("Methuselah's age").

The oldest people on the planet (currently living)

Today at common list more than 1060 names of the elders of the world. No matter how annoying the strong half of humanity, the top ten are exclusively long-lived women. And among the entire list, the number of men is less than 10%.

This fully confirms the trend that has developed in recent centuries for a longer life expectancy of the female population in almost all countries. Answering the question: “Why do women live much longer?” Gerontologists tend to physiological reasons.

This means that female nature is more adapted to survival and maintenance of viability. In particular, experts have found that the hormone testosterone causes disruptions in the immune system of men. While the female hormone estrogen, on the contrary, has anti-aging properties.

The second pattern: five out of ten the oldest people on Earth - Japanese women. The Land of the Rising Sun invariably leads the ranking in terms of the number of long-livers in the world. According to statistics, for every 100,000 Japanese, there are 35 people who celebrate their centenary.

The Japanese secret to longevity is in a special diet that contains seafood and algae every day. Scientists are inclined to believe that if someday the “elixir of youth” is found, then seaweed will become its main ingredient.

TOP 10 living longest-lived record holders

Chiyo Miyako

Giuseppina Proetto Frau

Kane Tanaka

Maria Giuseppa Robucci Nargiso

Shimoe Akiyama

Lucille Randon

Shin Matsushita

Tane Yonekura

Gabriel de Robert

Bessie Kam

Now the oldest person on the planet is Japanese Chiyo Miyako, who lives in the Kanagawa region. She received her honorary status quite recently. She became the oldest inhabitant of the planet on April 21, 2018 after the death of 117-year-old compatriot Nabi Tajima. Tanzima called her secret of longevity good dream and passion for dancing.

In second place is a lady from Italy - Giuseppina Proetto-Frau, 115 years old. A long-liver was born on the island of Sardinia. In 1946 she moved to Florence, where she lives to this day with one of her daughters.

The third place of honor is occupied by 115-year-old Japanese Kane Tanaka.

Despite the fact that the life expectancy of earthlings is steadily growing, the age limit for the most tenacious representatives remains the same. Step over the 120-year mark in Lately no one succeeds. As gerontologists note, it looks like some kind of insurmountable wall.

Departed

The list of age record holders of all times and peoples is more numerous. Let's talk about the most prominent of them.

Jeanne Calment (122 years old)

The record for centenarians belongs to the legendary Frenchwoman, who was born in the 19th century (1875) and did not live to see the 21st century for only three years. The age bar reached by her is considered the maximum of the confirmed ones. She is listed as the oldest centenarian in the Guinness Book of Records. During her long life, Jeanne survived World Wars I and II and 25 rulers of France.

If not for the age record, her biography can be called ordinary. She spent her whole life in her native city of Arles, had a daughter and husband, whom she survived by more than half a century. Left without relatives, at the age of 110, Jeanne moved to a nursing home, where she lived for another long happy 12 years.

Kalman herself considered the absence of stress to be her secret of longevity. By modern standards, she was not a supporter of healthy habits. Jeanne smoked a lot and, like all French people, was a lover of good wine and sweets.

Jiroemon Kimura (116 years old)

The oldest male person on Earth is Japanese again! They definitely know the secret ingredient to increase a person's "shelf life".

Jiroemon Kimura was born in Kyoto in 1897 and worked all his life in the post office. After retiring, he took up farming on his own plot. According to relatives, a moderate diet and an indefatigable craving for an active lifestyle helped him set a longevity record.

Centenarians in the Guinness Book of Records

If we talk about facts that have not been confirmed to date, then at the moment the data of the Russian Appaz Iliev from Ingushetia is being checked in the Guinness Book of Records. He submitted documents to the Gerontological Service that he was born in 1896. If this information is confirmed, he will become the oldest person on Earth at the age of 122 years. There are often reports in the press about champions from Russia, but they do not have an official status.

The secret of longevity

The top five states with the largest number of centenarians include America, Japan, France, England, Italy. In addition to these countries, some habitat halos have such fame, for example, the settlements of the Indian tribes of Hunza, the island of Okinawa, the Russian Caucasus.

Analyzing the phenomena of venerable age among the peoples of the world, scientists could not even calculate an approximate formula for longevity. Researchers at the University of Demographic Problems have done a great job studying individuals who have reached the age of 115. In their closing, they stated that they did not find a single quality that united them all. Except one - genetic predisposition.

The category of centenarians includes people of different nationalities, born in rich and poor families, workers and farmers who have never worked and work all their lives. Paradoxically, the age limit does not depend on the specialty, quality of life and nutrition, or the level of medical care.

What to do for those who want to beat or at least get closer to records of longevity? Leading gerontologists advise to follow the following recommendations:

be moderate in eating;
live in clean natural regions;
lead a measured life;
maintain inner harmony.
As for food, it turned out that most of the centenarians loved chocolate and fruits. It is possible that the antioxidants contained in them had a beneficial effect on their health.

Probably, in the future, scientists will identify the longevity gene and learn how to introduce it to everyone. In anticipation of this landmark event, it remains to adhere to time-tested advice: do not overeat, avoid stress, move more and smile more often. remember, that positive attitude and positive emotions reduces the likelihood of a person developing any disease by 50%.

The title of the "longest-lived" woman on the planet passed to an American Gertrude Weaver. She was born into a peasant family in Arkansas. She got married at the age of 17, gave birth to four children, but after she broke her hip at the age of 104, she ended up in a nursing home. She left this institution several times, lived with relatives, but in the end decided to stay in specialized agency where there is appropriate care for the elderly.

Gertrude Weaver. Photo: Reuters

Weaver has always noted three factors of her longevity - this is faith in God, hard work and love for others. And her motto in life: "Do everything in your power, and if something is not in your power, then it is not in your power."

The next on the list of official centenarians of the planet is also an American - Jeralian Talley.

Talley was born 115 years ago in the city of Montrose (Georgia) in a large African-American family. She had 10 brothers and sisters. From the early childhood Geralien worked on a farm, picking cotton, peanuts and sweet potatoes.

Talley says that she never drove a car because one day she mixed up the pedals and the car started off in the wrong direction. But Tally still goes fishing with great pleasure. On her 114th birthday, she made herself a present by catching 7 soms!

The motto of Geralian Talley, which allows her to keep her spirits up and good mood every day, "treat others the way you want them to treat you."

The third place among the planet's centenarians belongs to a native of Alabama - Suzanne Mouchatt Jones.

She, like Geralian Talley, was born in large family. At the age of 24, Suzanne moved to New York, where she got a job as a nanny. Suzanne Mushatt Jones has lived her entire life looking after other people's children, but she herself has never known the joys of motherhood. For the past 26 years, she has been living in a nursing home, moving in a wheelchair, but at the same time she feels well.

Suzanne determines the secret of her longevity by the fact that she never drank alcohol and did not smoke.

positive attitude

The fourth oldest woman in the world is an Italian Emma Martina Luigia Morano. Today she is 115 years old.

Emma was born into a large family - she had 8 brothers and sisters. In October 1926, she married Giovanni Martinuzzi. But this marriage was not happy. Emma could not survive the loss of their only child and broke off relations with her husband.

Emma says that she has always worked very hard. She was a cook, worked at a jute factory and at a boarding school. Only at the age of 75 did Emma retire.

When asked what the secret to her longevity was, the Italian said she never did drugs, eats three eggs a day, drinks a glass of homemade brandy and sometimes allows herself chocolate. And, of course, he always looks to the future with optimism!

Another, fifth long-liver on the list Violette Brown was born March 10, 1900 in Jamaica. She was the fourth child in the family of her parents, but the only one who crossed the 100-year mark. In the early 1960s, Violette married August Gaynor Brown, but did not become a mother of many children. Her only daughter never found out that her mother was among the top five long-livers in the world.

Men live less

It is noteworthy that it was the fair sex that settled on the top lines of the “hit parade” of centenarians. "Male" places in this long list start only ... from the 36th line! Thus, the oldest living man is considered to be Japanese. Sakari Momoi.

Sakari Momoi is "only" 112 years old. He was born into a peasant family in the city of Fukushima. Fortunately, a large-scale man-made accident in 2011 did not catch Momoi - by that time he had moved to another city.

Sakari Momoi worked all his life in the education system - he was the director first of the technical, and then high school in the city of Saitama.

Momoi has three children. It is noteworthy that they are all alive to this day. And the Japanese grandfather has 11 grandchildren and 32 great-grandchildren.

In 2013, journalists asked Sakari Momoi how much longer he wanted to live. Momoi replied that he wanted to live for another two years. And as you can see, he kept his promise.

In second place among the living male centenarians is also a Japanese - Koide Yasutaro.

Nothing is known about Koide other than that he lives in Nagoya City in Aichi Prefecture. And on January 27, 2015, Koide became the 35th oldest verified man in the world who ever lived.

Yasutaro Koide and Sakari Momoi are the only men who are included in the verified (confirmed) list of long-livers of the planet.

Required to prove

However, there is a list of the oldest people on the planet, whose status has not yet been confirmed by official bodies and relevant documents. This is where men dominate. And the age that they ascribe to themselves simply does not fit in the head.

The oldest of these men is an Indian Mahashta Murasi. He claims to have been born in January 1835. And this means that today he is 180 years old!

If you believe the Indian "passportists", then Mahashta Mursai was born on January 6, 1835 in the city of Bangalore. Then Mahashta moved to Varanasi, where he got a job as a shoemaker and worked in this position until 1957. Thus, it turns out that Mursai retired at the age of 122. “I survived all my children and grandchildren,” says Mahashta Mursai, “it seems that death has forgotten about me ...”

Unfortunately, Mursai has not yet undergone a special medical examination to confirm his age. Therefore, we can only take his word for it.

Another long-lived record holder is an Indonesian Mbah Gowo. It is not known until the end whether the name of this person is real or fictitious. There is also no certainty with the place of birth of Mbaha Gowo. Today, he resides on the island of Java, where the local village chief and the islanders look after him. Mbah Gowo says he was born 144 years ago. Indirectly, his words are confirmed and historical facts witnessed by Mbah Gowo. So, he remembers very clearly the construction of a local sugar factory in 1880. He was at that time 10 years old. Also, according to Mbaha Gowo, in his entire long life he had 4 wives and five children, but all of them have already died.

Also one of the oldest people on the planet, who have not yet confirmed their status, is the Brazilian Jose Aguinelo dos Santos. He says that he was born on July 7, 1888 in a family of African slaves in the city of Pedra Branca in Brazil. José has never been married, he does not have and never had children. To this day, he walks without a stick, has an excellent appetite and has no serious problems with health. And this despite the fact that José has been smoking a pack of cigarettes every day for the last 50 years!

For most of his life, José Aguinelo dos Santos worked on a coffee plantation in the city of Bauru. And after he retired, he moved to a local nursing home. José loves to tell jokes and sing songs and never misses his daily ration of rice and beans.

“There is no secret to live a long life,” Jose Aguinelo dos Santos said in an interview with reporters, “you just need to accept everything as it is. I lived to this age simply because I lived a lot. That's all".