Centenarian longevity had inverse relationships with nutritional status and abdominal obesity and positive relationships with sex hormones and bone turnover in the oldest females.

objectiveThe number of older people is estimated to increase from 524 million in 2010 to 1.5 billion in 2050. The factors and models of human longevity and successful aging are questions that have intrigued individuals for thousands of years. For the first time, the current study was designed to investigate the relationships between sex hormones, bone turnover, abdominal obesity, nutritional status and centenarian longevity in the oldest females.

methodsThe China Hainan Centenarian Cohort Study was performed in 18 cities and counties of Hainan Province using standard methodology in 500 centenarian females and 237 oldest females aged between 80 and 99 years.

resultsCentenarians were inversely associated with the geriatric nutritional risk index [Exp(B) (95% CI): 0.901 (0.883-0.919)] and abdominal obesity [Exp(B) (95% CI): 0.719 (0.520-0.996)] and positively associated with prolactin [Exp(B) (95% CI): 1.073 (1.044-1.103)], progesterone [Exp(B) (95% CI): 44.182 (22.036-88.584)], estradiol [Exp(B) (95% CI): 1.094 (1.071-1.119)], osteocalcin [Exp(B) (95% CI): 1.041 (1.028-1.054)], β-crossLaps [Exp(B) (95% CI): 63.141 (24.482-162.848)] and parathyroid [Exp(B) (95% CI): 1.022 (1.013-1.031)] hormone levels (P < 0.05 for all). The geriatric nutritional risk index and abdominal obesity were inversely associated with luteinizing hormone [β coefficient (95% CI): - 0.001 (- 0.002 to 0.001)]; Exp(B) (95% CI): 0.985 (0.974-0.996)], follicle-stimulating hormone [β coefficient (95% CI): 0.000 (- 0.001 to 0.000)]; Exp(B) (95% CI): 0.990 (0.985-0.996)], osteocalcin [β coefficient (95% CI): - 0.001 (- 0.001 to 0.000)]; Exp(B) (95% CI): 0.987(0.977-0.997)] and β-crossLaps [β coefficient (95% CI): - 0.100 (- 0.130 to 0.071)]; Exp(B) (95% CI): 0.338 (0.166-0.689)] levels (P < 0.05 for all).

conclusionsCentenarian longevity had inverse relationships with nutritional status and abdominal obesity and positive relationships with sex hormones and bone turnover. Nutritional status and abdominal obesity had inverse relationships with sex hormones and bone turnover. Increased sex hormones and bone turnover may be representative of centenarian longevity. Optimizing nutritional status and avoiding abdominal obesity may increase sex hormones and bone turnover and promote centenarian longevity and successful aging.