The Longest-Lived People in World History: Record-Holders of Human Longevity

Highlights

• Jeanne Calment, a French woman, holds the record for the longest human lifespan, and she lived for 122 years and 164 days.
• The world’s longest-lived man, Jiroemon Kimura of Japan, lived 117 years and 54 days and attributed his longevity to eating only until 80% full.
• Women comprise the top 10 leaders for longest human lifespan, which may stem, in part, from having two X chromosomes that confer resilience to harmful mutations, a factor that may also facilitate women’s typically longer lifespans.

Human longevity continues to garner attention as the aging global population, often referred to as the “silver tsunami,” increasingly seeks new ways to live longer in a functional physical state. Achieving longer lifespans and extended periods of life, with the retention of functional physiological attributes, not only benefits individuals but also means people may one day work for longer periods, which could boost the economy. Along those lines, certain individuals throughout human history have lived well beyond life expectancy, and examining their genetics and lifestyle habits may offer insights into how to achieve remarkable longevity.

The Oldest Women in World History

For starters, the person with the longest lifespan in recorded history was a French woman named Jeanne Calment, who lived an astonishing 122 years and 164 days. Born in 1875, Jeanne Calment witnessed numerous historical events during her lifetime, including the construction of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Interestingly, she attributed her amazing, record-breaking longevity to her adherence to a Mediterranean lifestyle, applying olive oil to her skin, enjoying wine and chocolate, and staying physically active.

As for the longest-lived person in United States history, that title belongs to Sarah Knauss. Remarkably, before her death, there were six living generations in her family tree. Members of the staff at the nursing home where she lived remembered that she always kept a calm temperament, which may have helped keep her stress levels low, possibly contributing to her astonishingly long life.

The Oldest Man in World History

A Japanese man named Jiroemon Kimura holds the title of being the oldest known man to have ever lived. As such, Kimura lived a phenomenal 117 years and 54 days. Interestingly, Kimura attributed his remarkable longevity to staying physically active and eating until only about 80% full (a concept known as hara hachi bunme in Japan).

Disentangling Why Women Typically Live Longer than Men

Women typically live longer than men, with a global life expectancy of 75 years, compared to men’s life expectancy of 70. Reasons behind this seem to relate to biological and behavioral factors.

For example, biologically speaking, estrogen hormone levels can be about three to 10 times higher in women compared to men. As such, some research suggests that higher estrogen in women improves cholesterol levels and blood flow to protect the cardiovascular system. Hence, since heart disease is the leading cause of death globally, estrogen’s potential to support cardiovascular function could contribute to women’s longer life expectancy.

Another example relating to women’s biology is that they possess two X chromosomes in most of their cells. Having two X chromosomes can protect against harmful mutations, because one copy of a mutated gene on an X chromosome can often be compensated for by a functional copy on the other X chromosome. This protective effect is also enhanced by X chromosome inactivation, a process where one of the two X chromosomes is randomly silenced in each cell, creating a mosaic of cells expressing either the maternal or paternal X chromosome and reducing the harmful effects of a mutated gene on one of the X chromosomes.

From a behavioral perspective, women are also less likely than men to engage in risky behaviors, such as heavy drinking or dangerous occupations. This phenomenon relating to women’s behavior may also serve as a contributing factor in their longer life expectancy.

Learning from Those Who Live Astoundingly Long Lives

The French woman Jeanne Calment consumed foods that included constituents of a Mediterranean diet, a plant food-rich dietary pattern associated with longer life due to reduced risks of heart disease and cancer. Moreover, the US’s longest-lived person, Sarah Knauss, maintained a calm demeanor, which may have kept her stress levels low, a feature associated with living longer. Furthermore, the world’s longest-lived man, Jiroemon Kimura, typically ate until he was only 80% full, which reduces calorie intake, and the pro-longevity effects of this practice are supported by some evidence from longevity studies.

Thus, while genetic inheritance patterns in the longest-lived people in world history likely play a significant role in their exceptional longevity, perhaps all people can learn from their lifestyle habits as well. In that sense, eating a balanced, plant food-rich diet, staying centered and calm to lower stress, and limiting calorie intake could collectively serve to help achieve an optimal health status for as long as possible.