Story in NY Magazine about a longevity study of Askenazi Jews (h/t DINORightMarie at the Tip Line):
An Einstein study published in August asked whether the SuperAgers, over the course of their lives, had better health habits than the general population.The answer was no; their habits were, if anything, worse. They smoked as much or more than others and were no better about diet or exercise. Tommy Kahn described his father’s lifelong eating habits as “lamb chops one night, steak the next.” Exercise was sporadic and mild. “Healthy living can get you past 80,” says [Dr. Nir] Barzilai, “but not to 100.” Something else is at play. When asked what they themselves thought it might be, the participants offered such explanations as genes, luck, and family history. God, says Barzilai, finished last.
My favorite “Jewish” joke in the article:
At his checkup, Schwartz asks the doctor, “Do you think I’ll live to 100? I don’t smoke or drink or eat rich food or have sex with loose women.”“So why do you want to live to 100?”
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