Those lucky enough to reach the impressive milestone¹ are often confronted with the same question: Just what is their secret to a long and healthy life?

A study of centenarians has shown that many of those who make it to 100 are part of a lucky few who manage to avoid developing common diseases such as cancer。

Many centenarians report being in better health than pensioners² years younger than them, remaining fit and healthy right up until their final few weeks and months。

They are also more likely to have enjoyed healthier lifestyles when they were younger, say researchers。

Experts say that a quarter of children born in Britain today can expect to live to 100 and believe there will be a twelve-fold increase of centenarians over the next 30 years。

There was an estimated 12,640 centenarians in Britain last year, but this number is expected to reach 500,000 over the next few decades。

据英国《每日邮报》11月29日报道，那些能活到百岁的幸运老人总会被问及同一个问题：到底他们保持长寿和健康的秘密是什么？

一项针对百岁老人的研究显示出，许多活到一百岁的长寿老人都是成功预防患上诸如癌症等常见疾病的幸运者。

据报道， 许多百岁老人比那些年纪较轻的退休老人身体更健康，一直到去世前的几周和几个月内还保持着健康的身体状况。

研究人员还称，他们在较年轻的时候也更有可能享受健康的生活方式。

专家称现今英国有四分之一刚出生的儿童预计能活到100岁，他们相信在未来30年，英国百岁老人的数量会增加12倍。

据预计，去年英国的百岁老人有12，640人，但是这个数据在未来几十年内期望能达到50万。