Is 100 the new 50?

By Goh Bee Lian

4/16/2025 3:25:00 PM | Singapore Health

The article is contributed/written by

Is age just a number? Can diet, exercise, supplements, social engagement and medical advances make living beyond 100 the new norm?

Living forever, or at least past 100, might no longer be the stuff of science fiction. A clean lifestyle, a healthy diet, and regular exercise are often cited as basic must-haves for a chance of good health and long life. But regular medical care, scientific and technological advances, and even supplements are some other considerations that might well tip the quest to live past 100 into reality.

Life expectancy in Singapore is already not far off the 100-year mark. Women live till 84 years on average, while men lead slightly shorter lives — 81 to 82 years on average. “This represents a jump of 20 years over the last 50 years,” said Professor William Hwang, Senior Consultant, Department of Haematology, Singapore General Hospital (SGH), and Co-director of the SingHealth Duke-NUS Regenerative Medicine Institute of Singapore. “In terms of healthy life expectancy, Singapore is one of the top countries at 74 years, meaning we have 10 years of less good health.”

Five regions — Okinawa (Japan), Ikria (Greece), Loma Linda (USA), Sardinia (Italy), and Nicoya (Costa Rica) — are considered to be ‘blue zones’, where people have a longer life expectancy than the rest of the world. Those places also boast of more people living to 100 years or older.

A high life expectancy in Singapore is a surprise to many as, unlike the blue zones, the island nation does not have natural attributes like beautiful scenery, mountains, rivers, and clean air thought to bolster health. Neither does Singapore have the sort of naturally close-knit communities for social interaction, healthier diet, and physical activity associated with longevity. Instead, Singapore is considered a blue zone 2.0, or an engineered blue zone, a concept based on interventions, intentional or unintentional, that contribute to an extended lifespan.

Good genes may play an important part in good health and life expectancy. But like a computer from a respectable brand, genes only play one part. Just as how a computer is used and maintained by the owner, so too do variables like lifestyle, diet, supplements and accessible healthcare determine life expectancy, said Prof Hwang.

Another is Singapore’s healthcare system that emphasises early disease screening and interventions to control chronic diseases, and hence lowers the chance of serious illnesses. Prof Hwang is of the opinion that the early death of his grandfather of a heart attack at 60 is likely cholesterol-related, following the diagnosis of high cholesterol in his father at 40. A medication like statin, which lowers cholesterol, might have helped extend his grandfather’s life. “Sometimes pills are necessary, and important in life extension,” said Prof Hwang.

Supplements might also be a plus factor, with many researchers looking into the usefulness of products like collagen, probiotics and vitamin E. “The common theme is that many of these try to combat inflammation, which causes overdrive of the immune system,” said Prof Hwang, adding that an immune system that is constantly in overdrive can lead to infections, disease and ageing. “The immune system needs to be like the porridge in the ‘Goldilocks’ story — neither too hot nor too cold; it has to be just right,” said Prof Hwang, a haematologist with special interest in blood cells and stem cells.

Next-generation science that involves the growing of cells, tissues and organs is an area that can help the immune system reach that Goldilocks state. While many nextgeneration science projects are at the stage of animal trials, the growing of skin cells, for instance, is already being done to help burns patients. So next-generation science working to repair cells or to ensure that the immune system stays in balance could well happen in this lifetime.

In cases where there is organ failure, transplant is one of the best methods to extend life. With next-generation science, the ability to grow the cells needed means overcoming the scarcity of organs that is today’s reality.

Just as how a computer is used and maintained by the owner, so too do variables like lifestyle, diet, supplements and accessible healthcare determine life expectancy, says Prof William Hwang.