Seeking the Secrets of Longevity

Ιt is now evident from various socio-demographic studies that a greater portion of the population survives into old age, above the seventh decade of life. Projections for Europe estimate that in 1995 13.3% of the population was over the age of 65, whereas by 2015 this figure is expected to rise to 16.3%. Few epidemiological studies have addressed the question of which factors have the greatest effect on longevity. More recently, the Aegean island of Ikaria has been recognised among the parts of the world with a high prevalence of octogenarians