Here the person has lived soooooo long, it's an accomplishment. 80 year olds become 90. While these long-lived elders are a diverse group of Americans, they do share many characteristics that scientists believe help them live to 100 years and beyond. Of course, you'll want to know what these characteristics are. So check out the list below for a description of characteristics shared by centenarians.
Longevity favors gender Four out of every five centenarians are women.
This difference is expected to continue. However, scientists project some fascinating trends through the year 2050. Hispanic-American centenarians will increase from 5 to 20 percent. Asian and Pacific Islander Americans will grow from 3 to 11 percent. African-Americans are expected to remain constant at 13 percent.