Old, Nonagenarians, and Centenarians in Cilento, Italy and the Association of Lifespan with the Level of Some Physicochemical Elements in Tap Drinking Water

Abstract

Longevity, as a complex life-history trait, shares an ontogenetic relationship with other quantitative traits, such as epigenetic and environmental factors. Therefore, it is important to identify environmental factors that may modify the epigenome to establish healthy aging. This study explored the association between tap drinking water and longevity in Cilento, Italy, to understand whether trace elements in local drinking water may have an influence on old, nonagenarian, and centenarian people and promote their health and longevity. Data on population and water sources were collected through the National Demographic Statistics, the Cilento Municipal Archives, and the Cilento Integrated Water Service. Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and a geographically weight regression (GWR) model were used to study the spatial relationship between the explanatory and outcome variables of longevity. The results of the study showed that the prevalence of longevity is concentrated in the central, northern and southeastern areas of the territory and that some trace elements present in tap water may contribute to local longevity in Cilento. Specifically, all Cilento municipalities had alkaline tap water, and the municipalities with the highest longevity concentrations had higher alkalinity levels than the other municipalities, soft to medium-hard water hardness, an amount of total dissolved solids equivalent to the level of excellent water, lower amounts of sodium, adequate iron concentration, and adequate dietary intake of manganese per day.

BPIFB4 protein and monocytes phenotyping: a preclinical asset for marking the frailty condition

“…It is well known that health is a reflection of several factors in addition to biomedical factors, such as social [67] and environmental factors [68,69]. Social determinants of health, such as work, social networks, eating habits, and internal and external living environment, can indeed decrease an individual's intrinsic and extrinsic abilities, making him or her frail.…”

Health Impact of Drinking Water Quality on the Occurrence of Osteoporosis in Gaza Strip, Palestine

“…In this study, educational level has a crucial impact on the incidence of osteoporosis. According to a study by Etemadifar et al (2013) , women with higher education tend to have a greater understanding of osteoporosis compared to those with less education and health education, and there is a notable impact on providing a safe water supply ( 19 , 20 ). Only a few studies' findings agreed with this ( 21 , 22 ).…”

A Narrative Review Exploring the Similarities between Cilento and the Already Defined “Blue Zones” in Terms of Environment, Nutrition, and Lifestyle: Can Cilento Be Considered an Undefined “Blue Zone”?

“…According to a number of studies, these individuals have a lower incidence of chronic diseases [ 7 , 8 ], a lower incidence of morbidity [ 9 , 10 ], and a longer healthy lifespan [ 11 , 12 ]. Thus, several studies in countries around the world, including Italy [ 5 , 13 , 14 ], Germany [ 15 ], Japan, and the United States [ 16 ], made the list of centenarians. Because the number of people who survive to old age is small, many prospective cohort studies have focused on reaching less extreme ages, such as 85, 90, or 95 [ 11 ].…”

“…Over the past two decades, research has sought to elucidate the factors that contribute to longevity and whether there are lessons that can be applied to the general population. Many studies have linked genetic [ 20 , 21 , 22 ], macroenvironmental [ 5 , 14 , 23 ], and microenvironmental [ 24 , 25 , 26 ] factors to longevity in humans.…”

“…It is important to note that, while there are similarities between long-lived populations, there is no single formula for longevity. In addition to Sardinia, several other Italian regions have high numbers of nonagenarians and centenarians [ 34 , 35 ], such as Cilento, where several recent studies have focused on longevity [ 5 , 14 , 26 , 36 , 37 ]. Cilento, with a considerable number of old people and a number of factors that increase longevity, can be considered an undisclosed Blue Zone and can be compared with other Blue Zones in order to highlight factors that may be associated with increased longevity.…”