Scientists Unveil Factors Driving Lithuania's Female Longevity Surge
Lithuania was home to 428 centenarians at the dawn of the year — 368 women against just 60 men — according to data from the country's Centre of Registers, as reported by a news agency.
"The difference is truly impressive," said Migle Tomkuviene, a researcher at the Vilnius University Life Sciences Centre, attributing the disparity to a combination of biological advantages and behavioral patterns that consistently favor women.
Chief among those biological shields is the female hormone estrogen, which Tomkuviene identified as a key defender against cardiovascular disease — the cause behind 50.8% of all deaths recorded in Lithuania in 2024, according to the Institute of Hygiene. Women also tend to adopt healthier habits and are less prone to behaviors that erode long-term health, she added.
Tomkuviene further pointed to the evolutionary "grandmother hypothesis," a theory suggesting women may be genetically predisposed to longer lives in order to support grandchildren and bolster family survival across generations.
On the role of genetics, she struck a measured tone. Research places hereditary contributions to longevity at roughly 20%, though some estimates climb as high as 50%. Lifestyle and environment, she stressed, remain the dominant forces — with physical activity, diet, sleep quality, mental well-being, air quality, and exposure to injury all shaping how long a person lives.
"If your parents were long-lived, you can expect to live a long life yourself, provided you do not undermine that genetical potential with an unhealthy lifestyle," she said.
Scientists have pinpointed specific genes tied to extended lifespans, particularly those that enhance DNA repair and allow cells to sustain healthy function over time — though such genes account for only a fraction of overall longevity outcomes.
Lithuania's oldest living resident recently crossed the 110-year threshold. While some in the scientific community speculate humanity could one day reach 150 years, Tomkuviene grounded expectations in verified data, noting the confirmed human lifespan ceiling currently stands at approximately 120 years.
She did, however, flag a forward-looking bright spot: advances in personalized medicine and preventive screening hold the potential to extend healthy life expectancy — the years a person lives free from serious illness or disability — which in Lithuania currently surpasses 60 years.
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