Tag: Centenarian

Born in Shanghai in 1923, Dr. John Scharffenberg became known for his six-decade career promoting a preventive, lifestyle-based approach to health and longevity. As a Harvard-trained physician and professor of nutrition at Loma Linda University, his work focused on the significant impact of diet, exercise, and daily habits on extending lifespan.

People in Blue Zones, geographic areas with many centenarians, reportedly live longer than those in the United States. This longevity is strongly tied to their unique dietary habits.

While Jeanne Calment's 122-year lifespan is the officially verified record, the title of the longest living vegetarian is much harder to confirm, as many historical claims are difficult to authenticate. Instead of a single record-holder, research points to the powerful longevity patterns of entire communities with plant-forward diets.

According to a 2025 Harvard study, consistently following a healthy eating pattern can reduce the risk of early death by 20%. So, **what is the best diet to live to 100**? Researchers and scientists have analyzed the diets of the world's longest-living people for decades to uncover the common nutritional themes that support an extended, healthy lifespan.