10 surprising signs you're born to live longer

Centenarians seem mysterious and elusive. Studies have found that some people who smoke and exercise less can still live to be 100 years old. What similarities do they have? The "Healthy Living" channel of the American MSN website summarizes 10 amazing signs of longevity.

1. There are many long-lived people in the family. A survey called the New England Centenarian Study by Boston University School of Medicine found that half of the centenarians have parents, siblings or grandparents who lived past 90 in their families. Studies have shown that direct blood relations have the greatest impact on life expectancy. Compared with cousins, siblings and parents have a greater impact on your life expectancy.

2. Walk fast and far. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh in the United States conducted a study involving 35,000 people over the age of 65 and found that for every 0.1 meter increase in walking speed per second, the risk of death would drop by 12%. A 2006 report in the Journal of the American Medical Association stated that among people aged 70 to 79 who cannot walk 400 meters, their remaining life expectancy may not exceed 6 years, and they are also more likely to become disabled.

3. Have a rich social life. American psychology professor Leslie Martin said that women with religious beliefs live longer because religion promotes their social life. He said people who have close social interactions with family, friends and colleagues also live longer.

4. Women live longer than men. In 2010, of the 80,000 centenarians in the United States, 85% were women. Scientists speculate that women's lower risk of heart disease and men's high smoking and car accident rates may be factors that cause this phenomenon. The good news is that male centenarians are generally healthier than female centenarians and are less likely to become disabled.

5. Have children after the age of 35. The New England Centenarian Study found that women who gave birth after age 40 were four times more likely to live to 100. Those who give birth naturally after the age of 35 will also live longer. Scientists think that late childbearing may indicate that the reproductive system ages more slowly, and the rest of the body may age similarly.

6. Year of birth affects life expectancy. In 2011, the British government released a report stating that the probability of boys and girls born in 2011 living to 100 years old is 1/4 and 1/3 respectively; the probability of men and women who reached 20 years old in 2011 living to 100 years old is 19.5% and 26.6%; the probability of men and women aged 50 is 14.6% and 10% respectively.

7. Moderate anxiety. Leslie Martin says that people who are pessimistic and tend to blame themselves have a shorter life expectancy. On the other hand, for people of any age, moderate anxiety can reduce the risk of death by 50%. People with moderate anxiety are not impulsive, do not take risks, and always have plans in their lives, which are all favorable factors for longevity.

8. Normal weight. A 2011 study of 477 centenarians by the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the United States found that these elderly people's lifestyles were no healthier than those of other elderly people. The only difference was that very few of them were obese.

9. Chromosome telomeres are very long. Telomeres are protective DNA sequences at the ends of chromosomes. The longer the telomeres, the longer it takes for cells to age, and the longer the lifespan will naturally be. Some studies believe that relieving stress, quitting smoking, and eating foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids such as deep-sea fish can increase telomere length, but the telomeres of centenarians are mostly caused by genes.

10. Be full of hope for life. Long-term research at Stanford University shows that positive emotions determine life expectancy more than attitude. Researchers say that having a hopeful outlook on life indicates less stress, which in turn affects levels of the stress hormone cortisol, leading to better health.