Lithuanian women outnumber men sixfold among centenarians, data shows

ISTANBUL

Women aged 100 and above in Lithuania outnumber men by roughly six to one, according to newly released national data published on Monday.

Lithuania was home to 428 centenarians at the start of the year, including 368 women and 60 men, figures from the country’s Centre of Registers showed, LRT news reported.

“The difference is truly impressive,” Migle Tomkuviene, a researcher at the Vilnius University Life Sciences Centre, said, pointing to biological and behavioral factors behind women’s longer life expectancy.

She noted that the female hormone estrogen helps protect against cardiovascular disease, which accounted for 50.8% of all deaths in Lithuania in 2024, according to the Institute of Hygiene.

Women are also generally more likely to maintain healthier lifestyles and avoid harmful habits, she added.

Tomkuviene also referenced the evolutionary “grandmother hypothesis,” which suggests women may live longer to help care for grandchildren and support family survival.

Research indicates genetics accounts for roughly 20% of longevity, though estimates can reach 50%, she said, stressing that lifestyle and environment remain decisive. Physical activity, diet, sleep quality, mental well-being, air quality, and exposure to illness or injury all shape life expectancy.

“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 identified certain genes linked to longevity, including those that improve DNA repair, allowing cells to function properly for longer. Still, such genes represent only a small share of overall lifespan outcomes.

Lithuania’s oldest resident recently turned 110. While some researchers speculate humans could one day reach 150 years, Tomkuviene said the currently verified maximum lifespan remains about 120 years.

She added that advances in personalized medicine and preventive screening could increase healthy life expectancy -- years lived without serious illness or disability, which currently exceeds 60 years in Lithuania.