**6. Conclusions**

Long life is a topic of great interest in medicine and among the general public. The increase in life expectancy has led the very old to become the fastest growing segment of the population in several countries.

#### *Update in Geriatrics*

Centenarians are subjects living 100 years or older. The majority of centenarians are females and a very small fraction of centenarians are supercentenarians.

Most centenarians have managed to avoid, postpone, or overcome the important age-related and life-threatening diseases (e.g., ischemic heart disease, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer, respiratory infection, type 2 diabetes, osteoporosis, and dementia).

The continuous increase of the number of centenarians has worldwide practical implications including profound impact on intergenerational interactions and significant financial challenges for any society, especially in relation to medical expenses.
