Health

He feigned interest as I told him about the Web site, www.livingto100.com, the highlight of which is a life-expectancy calculator. Plug in some personal data, such as height and weight, diet and exercise, health and family medical history, and the calculator not only estimates how long you’ll live, but also generates customized tips on how to extend your years. "And the questionnaire is designed by scientists," I said, which was the only part that got his attention.

"That is not science," he countered, and then launched into a diatribe about statistics and control groups and other insufferable details that only a science nerd would know.

My number may be ridiculous, but I want it to be true. I do admit to fudging some details to maximize the results. (Does anyone snack on vegetables instead of chocolate?) Besides, even if calculating life expectancy isn’t an exact science, aren’t the Web site’s findings at least loosely predictive of how long I’ll live?

Yes and no, says Leonard Schloss-berg, a geriatrician and internist with Physicians Regional Medical Center in Naples. There are, in fact, some steps that you can take to live longer—but there are also many baseless claims to that end.

Fact or fiction?

There are several such calculators on the Internet, and each has predicted a different end date for me. I liked www.livingto100.com best because it was created by Thomas Perls, director of the New England Centenarian Study, which claims to be the largest study of centenarians and their families in the world. I figured he’d have too much to lose by getting it wrong.

Schlossberg was less optimistic.

"Some of the things he talks about have been proven to increase longevity, particularly the parts about diet and exercise," Schlossberg says. "But modifying your behavior in the ways that are recommended [by the site] is hardly proven to affect your longevity."

For instance: The site claims that there is a clear link between regular flossing and life expectancy. If I floss nightly, I could add a full year to my life.

Schlossberg thinks that’s bogus. Studies show there is some relationship between gum disease and heart disease, but in the world of statistics correlation does not equal causation.

"We knew years ago that people who drank a lot of alcohol were more likely to get lung cancer. It turns out that people who drink a lot ... also tend to smoke a lot more, too," he said. "Flossing is really good for your teeth, but there’s absolutely no evidence it can mitigate heart disease."

He also did not agree that working fewer hours and eliminating caffeine could each boost life expectancy by up to six months.

"I was astounded to hear that I could live a quarter year longer if I cut out coffee," said Schlossberg. He said there’s no evidence to indicate caffeine has any impact on lifespan one way or another.

Apparently he doesn’t know about "the treatment of yeast cells with the specific TORC1 inhibitor rapamycin or caffeine," a study published in the journal Molecular Microbiology. I have no idea what those words mean, but one part of that story is clear: "Caffeine may extend lifespan in other eukaryotes, including man."

Take that, longevity calculator.

How to (really) live longer

Schlossberg’s beef with the calculator seems to be its conclusive nature. Diseases, such as Parkinson’s, occur randomly, and accidents happen. The best you can do is make the most out of factors you can control—and that are specifically, scientifically linked to longer life.

Having high blood pressure, for example, increases the risk of heart disease and stroke, which are leading causes of death in this country. You can improve your numbers by exercising more; eating more whole grains, fruits and vegetables; consuming less sodium and limiting alcoholic beverages to two per day if you’re a man, one if you’re a woman, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

The same lifestyle choices not only improve high blood pressure, but potentially boost longevity in other ways. Your liver, kidneys and pancreas won’t have to work overtime. You’ll be a healthier weight, which is good for your heart as well as your joints.

The Livingto100.com calculator recommends similar diet and exercise choices, some of which Schlossberg can get behind.

"With the Mediterranean diet—which has a lot of fruits, vegetables, not a lot of high-fat dairy products or sweets—there is very good evidence that these diets lead to fewer heart attacks and that you’ll live longer," Schlossberg says. "There’s also pretty good evidence that people who exercise are going to live longer. I know that these sound like the usual doctor recommendations, but they work."

They certainly generate favorable results on Perls’ site. With one exception, my friends and family all reported they’d live well into their 90s. The one outlier was my boyfriend, who took the calculator grudgingly.

According to the Web site’s recommendations, he could add two years to his life if he took 81 mg of aspirin daily, provided his doctor approves. He could add another year by eliminating fast food, and another two years by cutting back on red meat to one to two days per week. If he increases his exercise regimen from three days a week to six or seven, he can add up to five more years. If he doesn’t, according to his results, he’ll only live to 81.

What will I do without him for those last 25 years of my life?

Schlossberg might answer: Don’t worry; this test is mostly for entertainment value.

My happily married mother answered: "Don’t worry, you’ll probably be glad to get rid of him by then."

In the event they’re both wrong, I’ll be stocking up on fruit, fish and dental floss.