Drinking Alcohol, Coffee Linked to Living Past 90

A study from the University of California, Irvine found people who drank moderate amounts of alcohol or coffee lived longer than those who did not, reports KUTV . In addition, people who were overweight in their 70s lived longer than underweight persons. The goal of the study was to determine what makes people live past the age of 90. Additional findings included that 40 percent of people aged 90 and older suffer from dementia while nearly 80 percent are disabled, with both conditions more common in women than in men. About 50 percent of people with dementia over age 90 lack sufficient neuropathology in their brain to explain their cognitive loss. "Because little is known about people who achieve this milestone, the remarkable increase in the number of oldest-old presents a public health priority to promote the quality as well as the quantity of life," said the study authors.