It’s not often we hear of someone living to see 100 years—let alone a decade more.
Yasutaro Koide, a Japanese man did that just that—passing away Jan. 19 at the ripe age of 112 years. The super-centenarian was born on March 13, 1903.
In August 2015, theGuinness World Record’s Organization caught wind of Koide’s lengthy life, he received recognition as the world’s oldest living male.
According to CNN, five months after Koide was presented with the award from GWR, he passed away in the Japanese city of Nagoya.
Akira Yamase, a representative of Japan’s Ministry of Health said, “He died at a hospital in Nagoya, central Japan, where he had been treated for heart problems.”
Yousef Adel, a former part-time student at Portland State said, “I knew people lived as long as 103 or something, but to live as long as 112 is really record breaking!”
According to GWR, Koide was exceptionally healthy for his age. He lived at home and regularly attended an adult day care center. Even at Koide’s impressive age, he strove to remain active and self-sufficient.
For instance, though he mainly used his wheel chair for mobility, he often walked around his home; he preserved the health of his natural teeth, rather than dentures and read without corrective lenses.
Austin McGlone, a PSU alum said, “It’s fascinating to see some people are lucky enough to live long enough to see the change and innovation in the world in that time till now.”
Many wonder the secret to living a life as long as Koide’s. He revealed his simple advice secret: Don’t smoke. Don’t drink alcohol. Don’t overdo it.
“I agree Koide’s recipe to life plays a major role in bodily harm if you engage in it for a living,” Adel said. “But I think the secret to long living is the obvious: eating healthy by growing your own produce. That way there isn’t any pesticides or commercial chemicals in it!”
Adel said another factor in longevity is regular exercise.
“Always exercise constantly so that blood flows throughout your body all the time,” he said.
McGlone shared Adel’s idea that Koide’s long life could have to do with the Japanese diet.
“I’d like to think Koide lived such a long life because Japanese people eat a healthier diet,” McGlone said. “Their lifestyle is all about being active and enjoying life—which could minimize stress.”
“I even think Koide being from Japan and growing up in that environment where healthy eating and living is being promoted, has given him a leg up in life” Adel said. “Like here in the United States, even though we have [Federal Drug Administration] regulations on foods, we still have things being produced that are unhealthy, which could play a role in our life spans.”
An article in GWR echoed the sentiment on Japanese people being a healthier race, saying, “Japanese people have held many of the longevity records over the years.”
