Scientists: 72 Is the New 30

Tuesday, 26 Feb 2013 10:25 AM

By Cyrus Afzali

Demographic researchers say modern medicine’s progress at reducing the risk of death has been so rapid, the average life expectancy has risen faster since 1900 than in any time since modern man began to evolve.

In fact, early man faced the same odds of dying at age 30 as modern men do at 72, according to a report Tuesday in the Financial Times.

Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research in Rostock, Germany, examined men in Sweden and Japan, two nations with the longest life expectancies today. The study concluded that men living in those countries in 1800 would have had life spans closer to the earliest humans than adult men living there today.

To study how the odds of dying at specific ages had changed over time, researchers examined longevity data from chimpanzees and used it to estimate life spans for prehumans. They took data from modern hunter-gatherer tribes as a benchmark for early human life spans.

Researchers say the rapid increase in life expectancy will pose a challenge to industrialized economies as retirement income needs expand. The study did not tackle the issue of whether extended life expectancies are desirable or whether the average person will still have the mental faculties to enjoy additional years.


© 2013 Newsmax. All rights reserved.

I read a couple weeks ago that scientist think the first person to live to 150 is already walking on the planet.

Oh, goody. More justification for extending adolescence into middle age.

You'll be surprised by the findings of people here that have lived to 120!

Most who have lived that long usually are ones who do no drugs, are celibate and exercise daily and don't overindulge on anything.

I kinda think that's real cool because being black, our health is really terrible. We die before our time due to issues like diabetes, sickle cell, etc.

Right now I'm trying to avoid a lot of things that damages the body.

Scientists may have a point about the decrease in deaths among seniors past the age of 70.

Oh yeah!

I am stronger at age 54 than I've ever been in my life. And I can see myself getting even stronger. The only limit I can see to where I can go is if I hurt myself.

Legs? Now, that's a different story. I cannot run like I used to, and know that I never will, either. I'm running in a 5K in three weeks, and I haven't run 5K combined in 10 years. I am under no illusions that my legs will make it all 5K without stopping or walking part of the way.

Well, maybe. Then again, I ran 1/2 mile on the treadmill Monday and didn't even feel it!

Shouldn't the headline be "72 Is the Old 30"?

Efan said:

Shouldn't the headline be "72 Is the Old 30"?

Ageist.

Well I have read that due to the diets of many Americans, they will not live as long as their parents do.

Deadflow3r said:

Well I have read that due to the diets of many Americans, they will not live as long as their parents do.

Oh we will, were just be so hopped up on medication that we won't be able to afford food, shelter, or clothing.

[Edited 2/28/13 13:39pm]

In some ways I think yes but in other ways I think no due to poor diets and office based lifestyles today.

[Edited 2/28/13 13:47pm]

Deadflow3r said:

Well I have read that due to the diets of many Americans, they will not live as long as their parents do.

I think it depends on the individual...

Timmy84 said:

Deadflow3r said:

Well I have read that due to the diets of many Americans, they will not live as long as their parents do.

I think it depends on the individual...

O.K.

Harriet Tubman, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Clara Barton are four historic figures that come to mind that lived to be very very old and could carry on conversations until their dying day.

There have always been very very old people.

I do think that back in the day the ones that lived to see 85 had their wits about them and could enjoy life. Today we are keeping people alive so they can sit in a lazy-boy and watch TV. Both Clara and Harriet, living around the same time, were very active for old ladies.

Lastly we have type 2 diabetes which often goes undetected as does heart problems and both cause early death.

Deadflow3r said:

Timmy84 said:

I think it depends on the individual...

O.K.

Harriet Tubman, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Clara Barton are four historic figures that come to mind that lived to be very very old and could carry on conversations until their dying day.

There have always been very very old people.

I do think that back in the day the ones that lived to see 85 had their wits about them and could enjoy life. Today we are keeping people alive so they can sit in a lazy-boy and watch TV. Both Clara and Harriet, living around the same time, were very active for old ladies.

Lastly we have type 2 diabetes which often goes undetected as does heart problems and both cause early death.

You have a serious point there.

There's quality of life to be added to that too.

Personally, I don't want to be kept alive just because of technology and my mind is gone, for decades on end, I'm watching that situation take place and I've reached the point of being horrified at the prospect of living like that.