Onset of Mortality, Morbidity Delayed for Offspring of Centenarians

FRIDAY, Aug. 28, 2026 (HealthDay News) — Centenarians” offspring exhibit delayed onset of mortality and various morbidities, according to a study published online Aug. 26 in JAMA Network Open.

Eric R. Reed, Ph.D., from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, New York, and colleagues examined the extent and consistency with which centenarians” offspring exhibit delayed onset of death and age-associated morbidities in three independent longitudinal cohorts: LonGenity (480 centenarians” offspring and control participants), the New England Centenarian Study (NECS; 1,566 participants), and the U.K. Biobank (1,984 participants). Differences in age at death and age at onset of four age-associated morbidities (cardiovascular disease [CVD], cancer, hypertension, and stroke) were examined within study cohorts.

The researchers found that the hazards for death, CVD, and hypertension were consistently reduced, with aggregate hazard ratio estimates of 0.58, 0.67, and 0.68, respectively, and delays of 3.12 years for death and 5.21 years for hypertension. The hazards for stroke were only reduced in LonGenity and NECS (hazard ratios, 0.27 and 0.41, respectively). There were no significant associations with cancer.

“The overall consistency of these findings across these quite different studies was especially noteworthy and reinforces the idea that exceptional longevity runs in families,” Reed said in a statement. “This is not to say that lifestyle doesn”t count — healthy behaviors remain important for everyone. But some people from families with exceptional longevity appear to enjoy biological advantages that help them remain healthy despite the environmental and behavioral factors that affect us all.”

One author disclosed ties to the pharmaceutical industry.

Abstract/Full Text