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Which People Have the Highest Longevity?

How long a person will most likely live involves a number of factors. The country of residence is one indicator. Also playing a part is diet and lifestyle. Social factors such as marital status give another clue. Physical inactivity, smoking, drinking, drug use and weight are all factors that can affect a person's lifespan.

  1. Location

    • Where a person lives can be a determining factor in longevity. The longest average life expectancy is in Monaco, at 89.73 years, with a woman's life expectancy being 93.84 years and man's at 85.77. Second in line is Macau, a region of the People's Republic of China. It boasts the second-highest longevity in the world as of 2010 with an average life expectancy of 84.36 years.

    Food

    • People who eat a healthy diet live longer than those who do not. Japan, where most of the food eaten is based on how it will benefit a person's health as opposed to how it will taste, has one of the longest average lifespans in the world. Instead of red meat, the Japanese consume large quantities of fish. They also eat a lot of soy products, which are known to be good for the heart and for helping the blood pressure remain low and stable. The Japanese also tend to eat portions of food that are about half the size of what one might consume in the United States, preventing obesity.

    Physical Activity

    • People who are more physically active tend to live longer than their sedentary peers. Even people who are overweight or obese can increase their lifespans by exercising. According to the Harvard School of Public Health, "physically active, women, have nearly a two-and-half fold decrease in risk of death over inactive women." Also, "physical inactivity (less than 3.5 hours per week) accounts for 31 percent of all premature deaths."

    Sociological Factors

    • In a research study that was started by Lewis Terman, then continued by Leslie Martin, Ph.D. and Howard Friedman, Ph.D., co-authors of the book "The Longevity Project", women who are divorced have a longer life expectancy than those who are married. According to the study, women tend to find themselves after divorce and it can be a freeing experience. On the other hand, men tend to not do as well as women after a divorce, and they are more likely to die at an earlier age than their married male peers.

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