Global Centenarian Ranking Revealed! Australia Shines, But the Longest Living Country is...
Introduction
The latest data has been released, and the country with the highest number of centenarians is...
What about Australia’s performance?
#01: Global Centenarian Ranking Data Unveiled - Australia Shines
Recently, a global centenarian ranking based on United Nations data has garnered attention.
The ranking is based on the number of centenarians per 100,000 people, shedding light on the distribution of long-lived populations in different countries and bringing forward numerous scientific discoveries about longevity.
According to the ranking, Monaco has the highest number of centenarians per capita, ranking first globally. How does Australia compare?
Hong Kong, the French territory of Guadeloupe in the Caribbean, Japan, and Uruguay all follow closely behind Monaco, rounding out the top five.
Image source: dailymail.co.uk
The UK ranks 32nd, with nearly 26 centenarians per 100,000 people, while the US ranks 46th with nearly 20 centenarians per 100,000 people.
Australia has 5,974 centenarians, averaging 22 centenarians per 100,000 people, ranking 38th globally.
An international study also revealed that Australians are among the longest-living people in English-speaking countries, living 5 years longer than their peers in five other high-income English-speaking countries!
Analysis shows that this advantage mainly applies to the age group 45-84, as Australia has lower rates of drug and alcohol abuse, treatable cancers, and cardiovascular and respiratory disease-related deaths.
An analysis of data from 1990 to 2019 reveals that Australia has consistently had the best life expectancy since the early 1990s. In 2018, the life expectancy for Australian women was 1.26-3.95 years longer, and for men, 0.97-4.88 years longer than their counterparts in other countries.
The data also shows that Australians live 4 to 5 years longer than Americans, and 1 to 2.5 years longer than Canadians, New Zealanders, Irish, and the British.
Because the latest rankings are based on the proportion of centenarians, Australia’s position may not seem very high, but in terms of overall life expectancy, Australia has always performed well.
Moreover, not all countries have centenarians—research shows that by 2024, 27 countries will have no centenarians at all, most of which are located in parts of Africa and Oceania.
#02: Why Do Some People Live So Long? This “Superpower” is the Main Reason
Why do some people manage to surpass the 100-year mark?
This week, a longevity researcher provided a clue—people who reach 100 seem to possess a “superpower” that helps them avoid major diseases.
Epidemiologist Karin Modig from the Karolinska Institute wrote in The Conversation: “Centenarians not only have lower disease rates in their late middle age but maintain this advantage throughout their lives.”
Researchers state that this suggests centenarians not only survive serious illnesses better than others but also avoid diseases for a longer time, sometimes even completely.
In contrast, non-centenarians typically experience a sharp increase in health problems in their final years.
Experts believe that the overall increase in people celebrating their 100th birthday is closely related to the improvements in mortality rates over the past decades.
Changes in lifestyle factors have played a crucial role, such as the decrease in smoking rates, which has helped people avoid many smoking-related diseases.
At the same time, better working conditions have reduced the health damage caused by labor, and advances in healthcare, such as heart disease treatments, have also provided strong support for longevity.
Final Thoughts
These findings not only highlight the global differences in longevity but also reveal the close connection between healthy aging, living environments, healthcare, and individual physical characteristics.
Understanding these factors can offer valuable insights for those seeking a healthier life.
To live longer, social connections and a healthy diet and lifestyle are essential. When life gets stressful, it’s also important to find ways to relieve that stress for the benefit of both your mind and body.