Supercentenarians are concentrated into regions with no birth certificates

[ChrisSmolinski]

Supercentenarians and the oldest-old are concentrated into regions with no birth certificates and short lifespans

The observation of individuals attaining remarkable ages, and their concentration into geographic sub-regions or ‘blue zones’, has generated considerable scientific interest. Proposed drivers of remarkable longevity include high vegetable intake, strong social connections, and genetic markers. Here, we reveal new predictors of remarkable longevity and ‘supercentenarian’ status. In the United States, supercentenarian status is predicted by the absence of vital registration. The state-specific introduction of birth certificates is associated with a 69-82% fall in the number of supercentenarian records. In Italy, which has more uniform vital registration, remarkable longevity is instead predicted by low per capita incomes and a short life expectancy. Finally, the designated ‘blue zones’ of Sardinia, Okinawa, and Ikaria corresponded to regions with low incomes, low literacy, high crime rate and short life expectancy relative to their national average. As such, relative poverty and short lifespan constitute unexpected predictors of centenarian and supercentenarian status, and support a primary role of fraud and error in generating remarkable human age records.

Full paper: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/704080v1

[Pigmeat]

It reminds me of Soviet era claims of nearly 200 years in certain regions of the Caucasus Mts. and Ecuadorian claims of similar lifespans on the eastern slopes of the Andes. The introduction of the draft and old age pensions caused Uncle Pete to become Grandpa Pete in a lot of out of the way places where two or three surnames were common.

[JimIO]

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lWBhsiBMOIo

[Josh]

Old age is not for the timid.

[Pigmeat]

In Meigs, Gallia, and Jackson Co. Ohio, there are a group of people known as the "Remnant Shawnee". They took to the hills with Andrew Jackson's "Indian Removal Acts" of the 1820's and 30's.  As about half of the Anglo population in the region was related to them then, and needed their skills,  they weren't saying a thing. My Uncle married the great-Granddaughter of one when he got back from the Korean War. The old guy was known as "Pappy Napier".

I first met Pappy when I was around the age of 6, his mind was still sharp. He claimed to be 104, recalled bits of the Civil War and by general smell , 104 , seemed dead on, but his mind went downhill quickly. By the time he died 3 years later, he claimed to be 114, and had fought for various Union Militias in KY and the future state of WV. Good ol' Pappy!

[ChrisSmolinski]

I first met Pappy when I was around the age of 6, his mind was still sharp. He claimed to be 104, recalled bits of the Civil War and by general smell , 104 , seemed dead on, but his mind went downhill quickly. By the time he died 3 years later, he claimed to be 114, and had fought for various Union Militias in KY and the future state of WV. Good ol' Pappy!

Had he lived a few more years, he would have recalled the brutal winter in Valley Forge with Washington's troops.

[skeezix]

There's also a remarkable number of people claiming to be 21 that are concentrated in & around bars that also don't have birth certificates.