Israeli researchers studied Ashkenazi Jews who lived to be at least 95 years old and found that their diet and lifestyle were not much better than the rest of the world's population
Moreover, long-lived men drank slightly more and exercised significantly less than their peers from other populations.
477 Ashkenazi Jews aged from 95 to 122 years old, capable of independent life, were examined. 75% were women. All of them are participants in a long-term study of the secrets of longevity.
Ashkenazi Jews were chosen due to the fact that this group has greater genetic homogeneity than others. This makes it easier to detect genetic differences, if the latter, of course, are present.
In general, the height, weight, passion for smoking, diet, "love" for physical exercise, Ashkenazim did not differ much from the 3,164 representatives of other ethnic groups born at the same time and surveyed in 1971-1975 within the framework of the national project on health and nutrition.
24% of long-living men consumed alcohol daily (the indicator of the control group was 22%) and only 43% regularly engaged in physical education (57%).
Overweight in both groups was found almost equally, but centenarians were less likely to reach higher levels of obesity.
Just please do not take this as proof that obesity, smoking and physical inactivity are the key to long life, scientists warn.
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The study is published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.