Monday, November 19, 2007

Having Lots of Kids Helps Dads Live to 100

(Hat tip: Victor via email)

Good to know:
MONDAY, Nov. 19 (HealthDay News) -- A young, trim farmer with four or more children: According to a new study, that's the ideal profile for American men hoping to reach 100 years of age.

The research, based largely on data from World War I draft cards, suggests that keeping off excess weight in youth, farming and fathering a large number of offspring all help men live past a century.

One finding in particular was unexpected, the researchers said.

"We were surprised that having more than three children is beneficial to longevity -- based on previous studies by other authors, and common sense, quite the opposite could be expected," said study co-author Leonid Gavrilov, who conducted the study with his wife, Natalia Gavrilova, both of the University of Chicago's Center on Aging.

Gavrilov, a leader in longevity research, was to present the findings Monday at the Gerontological Society of America annual meeting, in San Francisco.

The husband-and-wife team have long mined vital statistics and other data, looking for clues to why some people live into extreme old age.


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My Comments:
I don't know about this report. Mine are about to kill me.

;-)

5 comments:

  1. The three I had after age 39 are keeping me young!

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  2. Mine too, Paul. I always joke that having small kids at my age makes me feel old and young at the same time.

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  3. Well, I guess since you have four now you can stop. It did say four or more...but then again...once you have four what are a few more? I mean really...

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  4. My maternal grandfather had 10 kids, but died at 60 from a heart attack. Must have been the eggs fried in bacon grease, butter sandwiches, ice cream, and endless stream of cigars.

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  5. Well I have three all under 17 and I am 50. So far, so good! A man needs a reason to get up in the morning and young kids certainly provide that!

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