Background
Supercentenarians (people who live to be over 110 years old) are part of a super-selected group that has emerged over the past 125 years, likely due to the increasing number of people surviving longer (Lindberg et al., 2024; Ined, 2024) To date, more than 3,000 deceased supercentenarians have been validated (Lindberg & Xu, 2024). Due to human fascination with longevity, this group may often be portrayed in media as being especially resilient and possessing “secrets” that can explain their remarkable lifespans. These secrets have been noted by us to be highly heterogeneous and potentially not related to supercentenarian longevity, with researchers often dismissing them as small pieces of trivia that the media can sensationalize. According to Torgé and Nyman (2021), the media does indeed highlight certain traits among the exceptionally old, which may reduce their life stories to “feel good” stories that highlights inherent ageism. Instead, research on exceptional longevity often focuses on identifying relevant genetic and lifestyle factors that explain why some people live longer than others (Caruso et al., 2022; Wang et al., 2023), with the testimonies of the exceptionally long-lived themselves often being secondary. While potentially biased, there is likely to be some value in analyzing what supercentenarians say have caused their long lives and if there are any commonly reported categories.
Given that there may be cultural differences in what is reported in media, the focus of this text will be on supercentenarians that died in the United States, partly due to the vast number of American supercentenarians and partly as a result of many American newspaper reports being readily available and also due to language barriers. A further limitation is to restrict the number of studied supercentenarians to the top 100 oldest verified deceased American supercentenarians as of 30 September 2024.
Aim
This text aims to analyse the self-reported “secrets” of the 100 oldest verified deceased American supercentenarians as documented in media reports, examining the common themes and beliefs that emerge.
Methods
Study Design and Data Collection
This study employed a qualitative content analysis to examine media-reported “secrets” of supercentenarians. Data were collected from various media sources, including newspaper articles and video features. Various search engines and newspaper websites were utilized to identify reports on the studied supercentenarians. The identified reports depicted the personal stories and longevity narratives of the 100 oldest verified deceased American supercentenarians. The data collection period covered articles published between 1973 and 2023.
Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria
To ensure that the studied data was relevant, only media accounts that explicitly documented the self-reported “secrets” of supercentenarians were included. Articles or interviews that lacked direct quotes from the individuals or only had quotes from a relative or other next of kin about the secret were excluded.
Data Extraction
The primary data extracted from each report consisted of direct quotes or paraphrased descriptions of the self-reported “secrets” of supercentenarians. The secrets, along with their source, were entered into a Google Sheets document to provide an easier overview. Demographic information (e.g., age, sex, and country of birth) was also noted in the spreadsheet.
Coding and Thematic Analysis
The collected statements were subject to coding and thematic analysis in accordance with Braun & Clarke (2006). This qualitative approach was used to identify recurring patterns and themes within the data to provide an understanding of how supercentenarians expressed the factors contributing to their longevity.
The analysis began with open coding, with each response being examined to identify key words and ideas. Initial codes were generated inductively, which allowed for identifying explicit statements (e.g., “faith in god,” “hard work,” “eating bacon”) and implicit concepts (e.g., “maintaining purpose,” and “psychological resilience”). This process helped identify a variety of factors.
Codes were grouped into broader categories based on shared meanings and connections. For example, responses such as “trust in God,” living for the Lord,” and “God’s will” were grouped under the theme “Faith,” which reflected the common attribution of longevity to divine influence. In total, seven overarching themes were identified; “Faith,” “Diet,” “Work Ethic and Activity,” “Attitude,” “Moderation,” “Social Connections,” and “Outside my Control”. The final age is given in years for the supercentenarians when quoted.
Reflexivity and Researcher Bias
I have a long interest in exceptional longevity and have read through countless newspaper reports about supercentenarians prior to undertaking writing this text. This led to me considering which themes might be suitable for categorizing supercentenarian secrets prior to performing the research. Still, these pre-existing notions were put aside as best as possible when I conducted the research and all data extraction and analysis was performed in a systematic manner, which allowed all responses to be appropriately themed.
Results
Population demographics
Of the 100 studied supercentenarians, 97 were women. Fourteen supercentenarians were born outside the United States (mostly in Europe) and had emigrated there at various stages of life. The average age at death was 114.63 years, ranging from 113 years, 294 days to 119 years, 97 days.
Secrets
Of the 100 studied supercentenarians, 81 were noted to have given a response to questions pertaining to their “secret to a long life.” The analysis revealed that supercentenarians had a wide range of explanations for their longevity and some respondents secrets varied over time and/or could be categorized within several themes. Each theme (see Table 1) highlighted a particular perspective on which factors were believed to extend the lifespan.
Table 1. Themes of supercentenarian secrets
| Theme | Description | Frequency (% of all respondents) |
| Faith | Statements emphasizing the role of a deity, prayers, or spiritual beliefs in achieving longevity | 28 (34.6) |
| Diet | Mentions of specific foods or dietary habits | 13 (16.0) |
| Work Ethic and Activity | References to the importance of staying busy, working hard, or engaging in physical activity | 16 (19.8) |
| Attitude | Descriptions of attitudes such as staying positive and not worrying | 19 (23.5) |
| Moderation | Advice related to practicing moderation, avoiding alcohol or smoking, and maintaining balance in life | 8 (9.9) |
| Social Connections | Responses that emphasized the value of relationships, social interactions and community support | 8 (9.9) |
| Outside my Control & Other | Statements relating to the supercentenarians not possessing a secret and that their longevity was rather the result of factors outside their control | 14 (17.3) |
Faith
The most frequently cited “secret” among American supercentenarians was faith, with several supercentenarians attributing their longevity to a deity or their adherence to religious practices. Responses included statements such as:
“The Lord has sure blessed me. He must have something else for me to do” (Maggie, 115)
“I’m living for the Lord” (Hester, 115)
“If you live right, you belong to God’s time” (Louisiana, 113)
Some respondents highlighted the importance of staying connected with their faith throughout their lives, seeing it as both a source of strength and a factor contributing to their longevity. This indicates that having faith may contribute to a sense of purpose and help with resilience in old age.
Diet
Another common theme was dietary habits, with several supercentenarians describing specific sorts of food as essential components in their lives. These diets did, however, vary widely, with some supercentenarians advocating for “healthier” foods such as vegetables and milk, while others provided less “healthy” alternatives:
“I don’t eat junk food” (Besse, 116)
“Eating vegetables and drinking a little bourbon now and then” (Daisey, 113)
“Frequent doses of vinegar” (Susie, 115)
“A daily milkshake” (Ettie, 114)
The variety of responses indicates that while diet is perceived as important, there is no consensus among supercentenarians on exactly what is an “ideal” diet for longevity. The individual choices may be more about personal enjoyment and habits rather than adhering to dietary guidelines.
Work Ethic and Activity
Several supercentenarians indicated that staying busy, working hard and maintaining an active lifestyle helped contribute to their longevity. This included responses like:
“Keep busy, work hard” (Sarah, 119)
“It’s about hard work too. You work hard and you can get paid well and you can live well” (Myrtle, 114)
“I kept on keeping on” (Minnie, 114)
The responses suggest that being continuously engaged in purposeful activity, be it physical labour, gardening, or contributing to their communities can help provide cognitive and physical stimulation, which may be beneficial for healthy ageing.
Attitude
Some supercentenarians mentioned their outlook and attitude on life, including maintaining a positive attitude and avoiding stress as the key to a long life.
“I don’t believe in worrying at all. What good does it do? (Thelma, 115)
“A lack of worry and a good sense of humour” (Delma, 114)
“Don’t worry about how old you are” (Sarah, 119)
These responses indicate a focus on emotional well-being and managing stress. This aligns with previous literature that suggests that a positive attitude and being psychologically resilient are associated with better health outcomes (Lee et al., 2019; Zeng & Shen, 2010).
Moderation
Several supercentenarians were noted to have attributed moderation to their long lives (and many other supercentenarians also made sure to mention this behaviour as a lifestyle choice). Avoiding harmful behaviours, such as excessive drinking or smoking, was recommended.
“I never drank nor smoked” (Mary, 114)
“Don’t drink or smoke” (Myrtle, 114)
“Eat, drink, everything in moderation” (Annabelle, 113)
While some supercentenarians admitted to occasional indulgences, be it wine or chocolate, moderation was emphasized as a key principle.
Social connections
Several supercentenarians highlighted the importance of having social relationships.
“My children” (Goldie, 114)
“Love everybody as God loves us” (Olivia, 114)
“I try to love everybody. In any way I can help anybody I’m willing to help them” (Maggie, 114)
These responses indicate that valuing relationships and engaging with people are important elements in living a long and fulfilling life. Having social support and positive interactions can contribute to better mental health and an overall well-being in old age (White et al., 2009).
Outside my Control
Finally, several supercentenarians believed that their long lives were a result of factors outside of their control and rather a result of pure chance.
“Pick your parents well. Have good genes” (Emma, 114)
“There is no secret, it’s just my purpose to be here” (Lessie, 114)
“I have no idea” (Fred, 113)
“No secret, I just kept living” (Adele, 114)
These responses indicate that not every supercentenarian believes in the concept of “secrets.”
Discussion
The analysis revealed that supercentenarians attributed their longevity to a wide combination of aspects, which helps provide a qualitative understanding of how the exceptionally old perceive the factors contributing to their extended lifespan.
One of the most prominent themes was Faith, which was mentioned in over a quarter of responses. That supercentenarians attribute their longevity to their spiritual beliefs is consistent with previous research that indicates that some forms of spirituality may help lead to better health outcomes and an increased life satisfaction among older adults (Dominguez et al., 2024; Manning et al., 2012). Practicing religion may therefore help provide a sense of purpose and community, both of which are recognized as protective factors against the negative impacts of aging.
Having a sense of community was also observed in the theme Social Connections. Having positive social interactions and supportive relationships may help combat loneliness in old age (Resna et al., 2022). Loneliness is a frequent occurrence among older people (Schroyen et al, 2023), and could potentially be even more frequent among supercentenarians since they tend to outlive all their similarly aged relations. Having a strong social network to rely on may help provide supercentenarians with a sense of belonging and help them remain positive.
Attitude was a recurrent theme, with several supercentenarians being noted to cope well with their lives and changing situations. This is supported by research that have shown that being psychologically resilient and maintaining a positive attitude are associated with lower mortality rates and improved health outcomes (Zhang et al., 2024; Paganini-Hill et al., 2018).
Relating to this was the theme Work Ethic and Activity, which emphasized the perceived importance of being engaged in activities that helped you living your life. Physical activity has been demonstrated to have positive effects on both health and well-being in older adults (Szychowska & Drygas, 2022), and to maintain a routine until late in life could help a person retain physical health, cognitive functioning and a sense of purpose.
Another common theme was Diet, though the responses varied. The variability in reported dietary patterns indicates that there might not be a singular “longevity diet.” Instead, being able to enjoy food and adhering to a lifelong pattern of eating and living, may be more influential than what is consumed. Several research reports indicate that the exceptionally old share some common dietary traits (Gubbi et al., 2017; Simoes & Ramos, 2023; Dai et al., 2024), such as consuming low amounts of saturated fats and plenty of greens, which were reflected in some secrets. For the supercentenarians who indulged in other dietary habits, such as eating bacon or potatoes, it is possible that these were preferred occasional foods rather than parts of everyday consumption.
Moderation also emerged as key theme, with several supercentenarians stating that balanced behaviours in relation to harmful substances, such as alcohol and tobacco, were of importance. Some research on alcohol consumption indicates that moderate intake might be beneficial (Liu et al. 2022; van den Brandt & Brandts, 2020), Still, indulging every now and then appears to have been a common trait, which may have helped providing satisfaction in life.
Finally, Outside my Control, was the last theme. Several supercentenarians were reported to not have a secret to their long lives in the media reports, which often was overshadowed in subsequent reports when the reporters found a specific “hook” that they could spin the story from. Some supercentenarians did indeed acknowledge that they had not done anything specific during their lives that warranted them living decades beyond average life expectancy. Having good genes was acknowledged among several supercentenarians and is also supported by research which has shown that relatives of the exceptionally old often live longer than the rest of the population (Perls et al. 2000;. Passarino et al., 2016).
Limitations
Several limitations should be noted. First, the data used in this study was based on self-reported responses from supercentenarians, which may be subject to bias. It is possible that frequently being asked the same question on what secret they possessed resulted in certain traits being singled out in media as relevant responses. These responses may therefore not fully reflect the genuine beliefs of supercentenarians but instead serve to fulfil the expectations of reporters. Being positioned in the spotlight as a living anomaly could potentially pressure the supercentenarian to provide answers that satisfy a certain narrative about ageing. Second, the analyzed content represents an American and Western context, both in terms of media reporting and individual attitudes among the supercentenarians. It is possible that a similar study on Asian supercentenarians would reveal entirely different “secrets.”
Conclusion
The self-reported secrets of supercentenarians indicate a complex and diverse nature of exceptional longevity. There is no perceived singular “secret” pathway to becoming a supercentenarian; instead, the findings suggest that the perceived key to longevity is attributable to a combination of lifestyle choices, personal beliefs, and other factors. Several themes emerge as key factors, providing a holistic view of what it means to live a long and fulfilling life. This emphasizes the importance of fostering personal well-being and resilience as strategies for achieving exceptional longevity.
Future research
Future research could employ a longitudinal design to investigate how the perceptions of the exceptionally old change over time. There is also a need to address different cultural contexts to help identify potentially universal themes in reported secrets. Further, the influence of the context in which interviews with the exceptionally old are conducted and which responses they produce could help identify which influence media reporters have on the provided secrets.
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Feature image made with generative AI (it’s just easier to get what you want that way..).
