Do successful agers live longer? The Vitality 90+ study

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Sociology

Background:

• Defining and measuring successful aging is crucial for understanding longevity in advanced age.
• Previous research has explored various components of successful aging, but its predictive power for survival in the very old requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine if successful aging, conceptualized as a multidimensional construct, predicts survival in individuals aged 90 years and older.
• To examine the predictive value of physical, psychological, and social dimensions of successful aging on long-term survival.

Main Methods:

• The study analyzed data from 1,370 participants aged 90+ in the Vitality 90+ study.
• Four distinct models of successful aging, integrating physical, psychological, and social factors, were developed.
• Mortality follow-up was conducted at 4 and 7 years post-baseline.

Main Results:

• Three of the four successful aging models significantly predicted survival in the entire cohort at both 4 and 7-year follow-ups.
• Individual components of successful aging (physical, psychological, social) were also associated with increased survival.
• The predictive association between successful aging and survival was stronger in women compared to men.

Conclusions:

• Successful aging, assessed through physical, psychological, and social dimensions, is a significant predictor of future lifespan in nonagenarians.
• These findings underscore the utility of multidimensional successful aging metrics for predicting longevity in the oldest old.