More and more women worldwide are delaying childbearing until age 30 or older. However, fertility problems and pregnancy difficulties increase with older mothers. Now research reports that babies born to mothers under 25 are much more likely to live to 100 as those born to older women.
The study, presented at the 2006 Chicago Actuarial Association meeting, investigated possible predictors of longevity. Researchers at the University of Chicago's Center on Aging analyzed U.S. Census data, Social Security Administration data and genealogical records of 198 centenarians born in the U.S. from 1890 to 1893. They studied the family histories of the participants to identify possible predictors of longevity.
The researchers found that children born when their mothers were under 25 were almost twice as likely to live to 100. However, the father's age had less importance to longevity. Findings also revealed that other factors increasing longevity include being born first and growing up in U.S. western states.
"[The finding] may have important social implications, because many women postpone their childbearing to later ages because of career demands," say study authors Dr. Leonid Gavrilov and Dr. Natalia Gavrilova, in a statement. "Centenarians represent the fastest growing age group in industrialized countries, yet factors predicting exceptional longevity and its time trends remain to be fully understood."
Experts believe that healthcare advances and lifestyle improvements will greatly increase the numbers of centenarians by 2074.
REFERENCES:
1. Key to reaching age 100 may be mom's age at birth. Reuters Health, June 23, 2006:
http://www.ucsfhealth.org/childrens/health_library/reuters/2006/06/2006
0623elin013.html
Posted by Elaine Gavalas on October 5, 2006 03:02 PM
