AFAR in the News: Nir Barzilai and Thomas Perls on the significance of behavior and genes in longevity
On March 27, 2017, Kaiser Health News published an article featuring 1997 Beeson Scholar and 2007 AFAR Award Grantee and Deputy Scientific Director Nir Barzilai, MD and 1998 Beeson Scholar Thomas Perls, MD, MPA, FACP on factors impacting longevity.
The article explores different lifestyles among centenarians and turns to our experts on the matter of increasing human lifespan. Dr. Perls explains that most people have the genes to live until their late 80’s, so behaviors, such as diet and smoking, have a larger impact up until that point. Genetics appears to have more influence on why people reach 90 years or older.
The article draws from research by Dr. Perls, Dr. Barzilai, and others to conclude that centenarians typically do not smoke, have high levels of “good cholesterol”, and have a parent or grandparent who lived past 80 years old, among other findings.
The full article can be viewed here.
Nir Barzilai, MD is the Director of the Institute for Aging Research at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Thomas Perls, MD, MPA, FACP is a Professor of Medicine and Geriatrics at Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of Medicine.
Learn more about lifestyle choices that experts recommend for healthy aging in AFAR’s Infoaging Lifestyle Center.