Geographic clustering of longevity in a Dutch province, 1812-1962: How stable, behavior-associated environmental characteristics explain the local clustering of longevity

There are places that bring forth unexpectedly large numbers of long-lived individuals. In this study, we explore which factors affect geographic clustering of longevity and indicate whether survival advantages occur early in life, later in life, or over the entire lifespan. 150 years of mortality data are used to reconstruct the lifespans of the 1812-1862 Zeeland cohort, resulting in a sample of 176,577 individuals from 101 municipalities. We found evidence of longevity clustering for women. Geographic patterns in longevity were similar for men, but not statistically significant. For both sex... Mehr ...