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Cited by 33Insurance, Mortality, Demography, Risk ManagementAging, Health, and DisabilityPublic Health and Environmental Issues

Extreme Longevity: Analysis of the Direct or Indirect Influence of Environmental Factors on Old, Nonagenarians, and Centenarians in Cilento, Italy

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Aliberti, Silvana Mirella, De Caro, Francesco, Funk, Richard H. W., Schiavo, Luigi, Gonnella, Joseph, Boccia, Giovanni, Capunzo, Mario·2022·International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
DOI 10.3390/ijerph19031589PMC PMC8834812
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Abstract

Longevity is rightly considered one of the greatest achievements of modern society, an achievement understood as the possibility of increasing the healthy part of life and not only its full duration. This study investigated the phenomenon of regional longevity in Cilento by analyzing the association between longevity indicators and some environmental factors, in order to understand if factors such as altitude, climate, UNESCO protected areas, and hinterland can directly or indirectly influence the measure of healthy living and lead to longevity. Demographic and environmental data were collected through the Archives of the Cilento municipalities, the National Institute of Statistics, the Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, and the Italian National Commission for UNESCO. The Geographically Weighted Regression were used to determine the association between longevity indicators and environmental factors. Correlation analysis between the longevity indicators was investigated in order to have a complete picture of longevity in Cilento. It was discovered that Cilento longevity is mainly found in the central area of the territory and from there, by age groups, it widens towards the south-eastern area. This designated area is part of the hilly area of the Cilento, at an altitude between 400 and 700 m above sea level. The towns of this area are part of the UNESCO heritage and are characterized by a transitional climate between Mediterranean and temperate climate. Moreover, the correlation analysis between the six indicators of longevity has confirmed a linear relationship between the six variables and this indicates that in the years to come there will be the probabilities of a generational turn over between the old, great old, nonagenarians and current centenarians, provided that the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic subsides.

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Crossref · 10.3390/ijerph19031589

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  • Mediterranean-like climates, with mild temperatures (17-20 °C), support outdoor activity and chronic disease prevention.

    “Mediterranean-like climates, with mild temperatures (17–20 °C), support outdoor activity and chronic disease prevention [4,7,48,49].”

    From The Power of Environment: A Comprehensive Review of the Exposome's Role in Healthy Aging, Longevity, and Preventive Medicine-Lessons from Blue Zones and Cilento (2025) · cites this paper as [4]

    The Results (§3.2; page not provided) describe Cilento’s transitional climate at about 20 °C, and the Discussion (§4; page not provided) suggests its mild climate may contribute to longevity. The paper does not say that this climate supports outdoor activity or prevents chronic disease generally; it discusses possible cardiovascular benefits of mountain climate instead. (LLM, conf=0.84)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Aging is influenced by a dynamic interaction between genetic predispositions, environmental exposures, and lifestyle choices, which together determine health outcomes and the risk of age-related diseases.

    “The process of aging is influenced by a dynamic interaction between genetic predispositions, environmental exposures, and lifestyle choices, which together determine health outcomes and the risk of developing age-related diseases [4,5,117].”

    From The Power of Environment: A Comprehensive Review of the Exposome's Role in Healthy Aging, Longevity, and Preventive Medicine-Lessons from Blue Zones and Cilento (2025) · cites this paper as [4]

    The Introduction links genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors to healthy aging and longevity, and the Discussion refers to factors that can ward off disease. The paper does not specifically establish that their interaction determines health outcomes or the risk of age-related diseases; its own findings concern environmental factors and longevity in Cilento. (LLM, conf=0.82)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The region's transitional climate, characterized by mild temperatures averaging 20 °C, moderately dry summers, and wet winters, has been associated with reduced cardiovascular risk and enhanced general health benefits.

    “The region’s transitional climate, characterized by mild temperatures averaging 20 °C (68 °F), moderately dry summers, and wet winters, has been associated with reduced cardiovascular risk and enhanced general health benefits [4].”

    From The Power of Environment: A Comprehensive Review of the Exposome's Role in Healthy Aging, Longevity, and Preventive Medicine-Lessons from Blue Zones and Cilento (2025) · cites this paper as [4]

    The Discussion (page not provided) describes Cilento’s transitional climate as having temperatures around 20 °C, fairly wet winters and moderate summer drought, and suggests it may benefit longevity. It does not report reduced cardiovascular risk or measured general health benefits from that climate; its cardiovascular statement concerns the possible therapeutic role of mountain climate, citing other studies. (LLM, conf=0.86)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • While these mechanisms have a genetic basis, they are profoundly influenced by environmental and lifestyle factors.

    “While these mechanisms have a genetic basis, they are profoundly influenced by environmental and lifestyle factors, underscoring the central role of the exposome—the cumulative environmental exposures experienced from conception to death [4,6,21,22].”

    From The Power of Environment: A Comprehensive Review of the Exposome's Role in Healthy Aging, Longevity, and Preventive Medicine-Lessons from Blue Zones and Cilento (2025) · cites this paper as [4]

  • Macro- and micro-environmental factors play a crucial role in aging trajectories.

    “Macro- and micro-environmental factors play a crucial role in aging trajectories.”

    From The Power of Environment: A Comprehensive Review of the Exposome's Role in Healthy Aging, Longevity, and Preventive Medicine-Lessons from Blue Zones and Cilento (2025) · cites this paper as [4]

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Authors
Aliberti, S. M., De Caro, F., Funk, R. H. W., Schiavo, L., Gonnella, J., Boccia, G., & Capunzo, M.
Affiliations
  • University of Salerno (IT)
  • Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, 84081 Salerno, Italy
  • Technische Universität Dresden (DE)
  • Thomas Jefferson University (US)
Corresponding author
Aliberti, Silvana Mirella
ORCID
Venue
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Publisher
MDPI AG
Published
2022-01-30
Volume
19
Issue
3
Pages
1589
ISSN
1660-4601 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.3390/ijerph19031589
PMC
PMC8834812
OpenAlex
W4210677907
Cited by
33
References
51
Citations by year
2026: 3 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 2 · 2022: 3
FWCI
12.52
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • The Medicine Forum (submittedVersion, cc-by)
  • RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Demography › Insurance, Mortality, Demography, Risk Management
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Aging, Health, and Disability
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Public Health and Environmental Issues
Keywords
exceptional longevity, centenarians, nonagenarians, environmental factors, altitude, climate, healthy life expectancy, Cilento, geographically weighted regression, generational change, COVID-19 pandemic
MeSH terms
COVID-19, SARS-CoV-2, Centenarians, Nonagenarians, Aged, 80 and over, Humans, Italy, Longevity

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