PHYSICALLY ACTIVE Some SuperAgers ride hundreds of miles on their bikes, do high-intensity water aerobics, hiking, or walk a lot, while others are wheelchair-bound or need a walker to get around. In short, physical fitness among
study participants varies a great deal. And for some, being physically active may mean doing some stretching exercises while sitting in a chair or wheelchair. “There’s variability in the intensity
and types of activities,” says Rogalski, “but we do see that these folks tend to be active on average.”
MISCONCEPTIONS One common assumption is that in addition to favorable genes, SuperAgers have all led easy or privileged lives. But this isn’t so. Their families have ranged from
poor to affluent, with varied social status. Although other studies have linked higher levels of education with better brain health, the amount of education among SuperAgers varies from six to 20 years. They didn’t all grow up eating
ideal diets, and there is no specific diet pattern that predominates today’s eating habits. They don’t have family histories of longevity devoid of dementia. One common trait SuperAgers
There’s variability in the intensity and types of activities, but we do see that these folks tend to be active on average.” — Emily Rogalski, Ph.D.
do share is resilience. Many have overcome major setbacks, tragedies, and challenges in their lives.
ON HORIZON With the use of wearable sensors, researchers have been collecting more detailed data on physical activity and sleep, which is in the process of being analyzed. But so far, it’s apparent that good quality sleep plays a beneficial role. Diet has been more difficult to
study because it usually relies on participants’ recall, which is difficult to document from decades past. “I would probably do even a poor job of telling you what I ate if I had to recount everything I ate this week,” says Rogalski. In the future, she expects more
diet-related data will become available using newer tools. These include analyses of individuals’ microbiomes that can provide longer-term data on gut health, and historical data on the quality of our diets and uses of pesticides, other additives, and food processing methods. What’s been observed so far is
that SuperAgers’ diets vary, raising questions without clear answers. However, she explains, “I think there are ways that scientifically, we can start to answer some of these
Want to Join SuperAger Research?
T
he SuperAging Research Initiative is an ongoing study at
five locations in North America and online, and more participants are being recruited. For over 15 years, this group of
researchers has been studying both SuperAgers and others in the same age group. Many SuperAgers are not aware of their exceptional memory until they volunteer to join the study and are tested. Studying individuals who have
avoided age-related changes in memory helps to uncover ways that others can be more resilient and resistant to memory loss in the future. In-person research: You may be able to participate if you are 80 or older and live near one of these locations: Ann Arbor, Michigan Atlanta, Georgia Chicago, Illinois Madison, Wisconsin London, Ontario, Canada Online research: If you are 75 or older, have adequate hearing for conversation, and can use a computer or tablet, you may be able to participate online. For more information and
to join the study, visit
www.superagingresearch.com.
OCTOBER 2026 | NEWSMAX MAXLIFE 87
really tricky questions.” Meanwhile, other research has
found some additional steps that can help slow cognitive decline and lower risk for dementia, including getting a hearing aid and glasses if you need these, not smoking or drinking in excess, controlling blood pressure and blood sugar, and eating a plant-rich diet of whole foods.
MAIN/
ISTOCK.COM/HALFPOINT / SIDEBAR/
ISTOCK.COM/ARCHITECTNINE
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108
