Italy, together with France, has confirmed itself as the country with the highest number of elderly people over 100 years of age between 2009 and 2019, a new national record.
The numbers were released this Wednesday (24) by the National Statistics Institute (Istat) and are further proof of the continued aging of the Italian population.
The index reveals that, in the last 10 years, the number of centenarians in the country increased from 11 thousand to more than 14 thousand, while the number over 105 years of age practically doubled, going from 472 to 1.112, an increase of 136 %.
As of January 1, 2019, 14.456 people living in Italy reached the age of 100, of which 84% are women. Among centenarians, 1.112 are or have already exceeded 105 years of age. In total, 87% are female.
Also according to Istat data, of the 125 individuals who turned 110 years old, between 2009 and 2019, 93% were women, which confirms 90% of female predominance at the extreme ages of the population.
However, none of the citizens were born in the 19th century. In the last 10 years, after constant growth until 2015 (year of historical peak with more than 19 thousand individuals), the long-lived population there was a reduction due, in large part, to a structural effect: the population reduction of those born during the First World War. According to the numbers, 5.882 Italians aged 105 were registered in the period, 709 men and 5.173 women.
Of these, 1.112 are still alive. The trend can be partially explained by the fact that longevity is linked to genetic factors. Most centenarians reside in northern Italy. Among those over 105 years old, 338 live in the Northwest, 225 in the Northeast, 207 in the Center, 230 in the South and 112 in the Islands.
The region with the highest percentage is Liguria, followed by Friuli-Venezia Giulia and Molise. Those over 105 can be found, for the most part, in Lombardy. The oldest person living in Italy, in turn, is a 113-year-old woman living in the Emilia-Romagna region.
The secret of longevity is still being investigated, but, according to the National Confederation of Direct Cultivators (Coldiretti), the Mediterranean diet is, without a doubt, a winning recipe that can contribute to this record of centenarians.
For the entity, “bread, pasta, fruits, vegetables, meat, extra virgin olive oil and the traditional glass of wine consumed at the table during regular meals can be considered a means of prolonging life”.
By Ansa Agency
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