Children whose parents lived to be 100 years old had lower risks of coronary artery disease, high blood pressure and diabetes than children whose parents had only lived to their 70s.

A study compared the health of 176 children of centenarians over a period of 10 to 15 years with that of children whose parents lived to the average life expectancy of 73 years. While no difference was found between the groups for depression, lung disease and other health aspects unrelated to heart disease, the centenarian children had a 66 percent reduced risk of high blood pressure, a 64 percent lower risk of heart disease, and a 59 percent reduced risk of diabetes. Researchers say that these results may suggest a link specifically between heart disease and longevity. Additionally, children of centenarians also took fewer medications, weighed less and had lower body mass indexes (BMI), a measure of obesity.

The findings show that aging well is likely related to genetics, though researchers note that environment may also play a role, and further research is needed to determine the extent of each factor’s role.

In an unrelated study, the difference between the functional abilities of men and women who had reached 100 years of age was investigated. It was found that, on average, women scored lower than men in functional performance. However, women seemed more able to endure diseases than men, despite the men’s higher functional performance. Researchers say that these findings back up a long observed trait by doctors that women tend to be more resilient.

Another study testing gender differences in centenarians found that women tend to let things go rather than internalizing them or dwelling on them. Additionally, women who had this personality type tend to be humorous and sociable, which may allow them to easily build social relationships that can act as a "safety net."

Another unrelated study found that the siblings of 100-year-olds had half the risk of death as their peers.

While the link between genetics and longevity is still being explored, it is thought that a portion of chromosome 4 may explain five percent to 10 percent of the reason why some people reach 100 years of age. However, further research is needed to investigate this theory.

Annual meeting of the Gerontological Society of America Boston November 25, 2002