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I started this thread because with my family and also friends families the grandmothers were living quite a bit longer than their daughters. Often almost a decade longer.
I am quite surprised by this and it may be just a fluke among people I know.
Actually I'm not surprised. Look at photographs of Americans taken from the 1970's or earlier and compare them to what people look like now. I recently read an article where they asked millennials and zoomers what they thought of pictures of adults taken in the 1950's. The predominant comment was that they looked starved or skinny. Of course they weren't either, they were looking at pictures of people who ate mostly whole foods and were a healthy weight.
I'm sure the weight is only part of it. Most Americans consume a diet heavy in processed food and highly refined seed oils that didn't exist a few decades ago.
For your circle of family / friends to be statistically relevant, it would need to have a population of at least 400. After about 1500 the margin of error starts levelling off.
I did read an article less than a month ago that noted that over the past decade or two deaths came earlier for people who lived in the American South than for the average American. The author's claim was that a combination of Southern culture and a lack of available/affordable health care was the reason for the discrepancy.
Actually I'm not surprised. Look at photographs of Americans taken from the 1970's or earlier and compare them to what people look like now. I recently read an article where they asked millennials and zoomers what they thought of pictures of adults taken in the 1950's. The predominant comment was that they looked starved or skinny. Of course they weren't either, they were looking at pictures of people who ate mostly whole foods and were a healthy weight.
I'm sure the weight is only part of it. Most Americans consume a diet heavy in processed food and highly refined seed oils that didn't exist a few decades ago.
For sure.
After living through the depression they were probably less inclined to overeat.
Weight was part of it when comparing my mother to hers. Grandma was always lean, while my mother had some extra baggage around the middle. Mom also partied a bit with alcohol and marijuana.
Possibly the greatest factor in favor of longevity for the older generation was that they were more active. Fewer car rides, more walking and physical labor.
Grandma at 59 of cancer
Mom at 86 of life
Maternal Grandfather 73 of not telling anyone he had urinary blockage/sepsis until it was too late. If his wife hadn't passed so young he probably wouldn't have been able to hide it so long.
Nonsmoking nondrinking Dad at 76 of heart disease. Both his parents including his smoking dad lived to 80. Dad's smoking brothers all died his age or younger than him. His nonsmoking brother lived to 93.
Aside from Grandma and my dad lots of 80s and 90s in my tree, so I expect the suffering will continue a while.
After living through the depression they were probably less inclined to overeat.
Weight was part of it when comparing my mother to hers. Grandma was always lean, while my mother had some extra baggage around the middle. Mom also partied a bit with alcohol and marijuana.
Possibly the greatest factor in favor of longevity for the older generation was that they were more active. Fewer car rides, more walking and physical labor.
Maybe physical labor due to the jobs but more walking and fewer car rides? Those guys would drive across the street to the neighbor's house.
My maternal grandmother lived to 95, my mother lived to 49 and my eldest sister lived to 77 (two months shy of 78). I am 61.
My paternal grandmother lived to 92.
Between my two grandmothers they had 27 children (including mom and dad). Exactly 2 of them lived to 80 (not 81, not 82). No one got anywhere near 90. My mom, as previously stated, died at 49 and my dad died at 65.
My paternal grandfather died at 46 (when my dad was 10). My maternal grandfather lived to 76.
What does it all mean. Your immediate family is more meaningful in terms of longevity (that's mom and dad and sisters and brothers). So, my oldest brother died in 2014 at 71 and my oldest sister died in 2020 at 77. Then, I have 3 remaining siblings between 75 - 78. So, the results will start coming in as they approach 80. I'll tell you that if no one hits 80 then I'm retiring no later than 67.
Grandmother died at 98
Great Uncle died at 98
One Great Aunt still alive at 97
Another great Aunt died at 99
I really hope I dont follow suit...
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