What were the Diets of People who Lived to 80 or Longer?

Did they know of the Department of Agriculture's and the Food and Drug Administration's recommended diet? If they followed this diet, did it maximize their life expectancy, productivity, both, or neither?

What is the first goal of the DOA and FDA recommended diet?

For those who lived to 80 or longer, what percentage were diet rebels for the purpose of life expectancy, productivity, both, or neither?

I am very interested in the psychology of diet; both ears are open for your facts or comments.

Several months ago, National Geographic did a study on a few populations which consistently produce long-lived individuals. A couple examples were the Okinawans and Sardinians (I believe it was Sardinia, perhaps a neighboring island). Both cultures stress diets high in protein, but still balanced with fresh fruits and vegetables, tempered with a good daily dose of exercise. Most of the people interviewed also stayed in close contact with family and friends, a seemingly integral part of long mental health. A very interesting read, definitely. Perhaps you should check it out.

It seems to me, despite my lack of personal experience with the FDA, that from what I hear, the FDA is pretty much dead on. A balanced diet high in fruits and veggies, low in fats and oil, combined with exercise, would seem to agree with scientific research in longevity currently out there.

MFP

I will see if I can dig the article up but a ways back i perused a research article that seemed to feel that the best diet for long life is one that is close to starvation levels but not all the way and of cource an essential balance of everything.

Thats being said diet plays a huge part, but some people are simply from the deep end of the gene pool and are blessed with a system that hold together and leaves them at a relativly high level of funtion for some time.

My grandparents on my fathers side is a case in point. My grandfather died at 105 having lived in a third world country and had a nasty opium habit for many years, and my grandmother was 107 (as far as we could find records back) and was funtional to the end with no major problems either.

My uncle is 94, and he eats nothing but soup, dosnt drink, and dosnt smoke. He also is very active during the day, working a normal 40 hour week.