| Objectives1. To study the relationship between genetic factors and longevity of centenarians in Rongcheng.2. To study the influence of environmental factors including natural environment, social environment and family environment on longevity of centenarians.3. To study the influence of lifestyle, dietary patterns and work habits on longevity of centenarians in Rongcheng.4. To study the influence of character, economic condition, health service and governmental policy on longevity of centenarians in Rongcheng.5. To compare and analyze the drinking water quality in Rongcheng and other Chinese longevity areas, and to study the influence of drinking water quality on longevity of centenarians.Methods1. Relative articles were searched and some data about longevity were collected to prepare for questionnaires.2. The questionnaires were used to survey situation, which contained seven parts with totally50small projects.(1) general characteristics (2) lifestyle (3) genetic factors (4) diet structure (5) diet review at24h (6) family environment and economic condition (7) living environment3. According to the name listof centenarians provided by the local Municipal senior citizens’work committee,investigators collected the basic information of50centenariansin Rongcheng one by one in their own home. All of the questionnaires were finished by two professional investigators from School of Public Health, Shandong University.4. While investigating, The investigators collected corresponding drinking water samples in places where centenarians distribute intensively, and mineral elements in the water samples would be tested in the health analysis and testing center of ShandongUniversity.5. After the search was finished, the dataon questionnaires was imported into computer and adatabase was established. Thenthe database was made logical verification.Results1. Most of the centenarians in Rongcheng were healthy. One third of them avoided any diseases,40%were only with slight disease and22%suffered from common diseases.Only6%of the centenarianssuffered from serious diseases.2. The vast majority of the centenarians were in good living condition, and their sources of income were mainly from their children or grandchildren, then some were from the local government.12%of the centenarians had their own savings, and enjoyed an affluent living.64%of them had a balanced living condition while the income of20%of the centenarians was basically enough for their living. Only4%of them didn’t have enough to eat and wear, and needed social assistance.3.47of the centenarians were living together with their children and/or grandchildren. Another one was with his nephew’s household. Their home environment was warm, the natural environment around was beautiful, and the social security was perfect.4. The dietary structure and habit of the centenarians were reasonable, such as the varied fare, the low protein and low fat dietary and the right amount of meat and vegetables. The main staple foods are wheat and its products. The diet was rich in trace element Se and vitamin E, etc. The total weight of average daily dietary food intake of centenarians in Rongchengpar capitais533.52g, including183.04g cereals, which was the most and accounted for34.31%of the total dietary. The fruits and vegetables were58.37g, accounting for10.94%of the total dietary. The animal foods intake was only192.2g.Among the animal foods, dairy products were115.2g, which was the most and accounted for21.59%of the total dietary. Eggs were47.0g, accounting for8.81%, while the intake of aquatic food and livestock and poultry meat only accounted for2.85%and2.77%respectively. Besides, the daily intake of tubers was19.72g and the legume and its products were12.80g. Some of them liked desserts and the average daily intake per capita was37.69g, accounting7.06%of the total dietary. As for vitamins and mineral elements, the average intake level of vitamin E was relatively high, which accounted for58.64%of the RNI. The intake levels of zinc and selenium achieved40.96%and67.72%of the RNI.5. There was also some relationship between longevity and birth rank. Generally speaking, the expectancy life of the first child was higher than the second, and the second was higher than the latter.42.9%of the centenarians in Rongcheng ranked first in their brothers and sisters, and28.6%of them were the second child in the family.6. The drink water quality of the place where the centenarians distribute intensively reached the national standard. It was low in toxicological indicators, weakly alkaline and without any pollution.Conclusionsl.The internal factors such as family heredity and genewerecrucial factors of longevityfor centenarians. The longevity gene provided the inherent advantage for them to live longer than general people did, which was also reflected in the survey on centenarians in Rongcheng. Related issues such as the position and screening of longevity gene and the proportion that longevity gene accounted for in longevity influence factors remained to be further researched.2. Favorable environment including natural environment, social environment and home environment was the external guarantee for longevity of centenarians. Thecomfortable environment, with clean air and pleasant climate, combined with high quality drinking water, provided geographical advantages for longevity. The local Municipal senior citizens’work committee gave the social security for longevity of centenarians.Honest folkway and traditional customs of respecting and supporting old people provided warm home environment.3. Reasonable dietary structure and habit provided material guarantee for longevity, such as the varied fare, the low protein and low fat dietary and the right amount of meat and vegetables. The main staple foods are wheat and its products. The diet was rich in trace element Se and vitamin E, etc.4.Drinking water of the villages where centenarians concentrated corresponded to the national standard. It contained multiple microelements being good to human body, such as Zn, Se and so on. Compared with other long-life countries, the content of Se and Sr was similar, while that of Zn, Cu and metasilicic was higher in Rongcheng than that in other long-life countries. Moreover, trace of Li was detected from drinking water in Rongcheng.5. Being long engaged in agricultural production activities was another important reason for their longevity. Most centenarians often did manual labor, thus to have good bodies, which lay a solid foundation for their longevity.20%of them did farm work until70,30%of them did until80, and26%did until90.6. Generally, the expectancy life of the first child was higher than the second, and the second was higher than the latter.42.9%of the centenarians in Rongcheng ranked first in their brothers and sisters, and28.6%of them were the second child in the family.7.Broad-minded, calm and heartsease are good characters of centenarians. In addition, adequate economic source and medical conditions provided material base for longevity of centenarians in Rongcheng. |
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