Image via Imam Saputro (YouTube)
The world's oldest man, a 146 chainsmoker best known as Mbah Gotho, drew his final breath in Indonesia's Central Java province earlier this week, shutting the book on an astonishingly long life that, to listen to the man himself, was probably a little too long.When Mbah Gotho was born, Alexander Graham Bell was still six years from patenting the telephone, Henry Ford was a 7-year-old boy, and airplanes were little more than science fiction. In nearly one and a half centuries that followed, Mbah Gotho (real name Suparman Sidomejo) lived through Dutch colonization, Japanese occupation, the rise and fall of Soekarno, of Suharto, and the start of two millennia. He outlived four wives and, according to recent interviews, he was more than ready to die.He had his tombstone made in 1992. He told reporters last year "what I want is to die." This week, he got his wish. It's impossible to actually verify Mbah Gotho's age. When he was born, Indonesia didn't even document new births. His government ID said he was born on 31 Dec. 1870. But we'll all have to take his word for it. The ID was issued without a birth certificate.The same can be said for the other ancient Indonesians in line for the crown. Anami, in Purwakarta, West Java, is turning 142 this year. Maria Kabiung, from Tana Toraja, Central Sulawesi, is 137.How is this even possible? In the West, where birth certificates were far more common more than a century ago, the oldest living person died at 122 years old. Are Indonesians just pros at staying alive? How can someone even live that long? We called up Daeng Faqih, the head of the Indonesian Doctors Association, to find out.VICE Indonesia: How did Mbah Gotho live so long?
*Daeng Faqih:* There are many factors that contribute to one's lifespan. The first one is genetics. Every cell in an individual's body is unique. There is something called apoptosis—or the death of cells. These dead cells are replaced at varying rates. But the longer it takes or cells to die, the longer someone could live.Another factor is their lifestyle, basically their diets and exercise. And also a person's environment. The state of someone's home and the country's health care play a role.What is the average life expectancy in Indonesia right now?
Around 70 years old. People today are more aware of healthy lifestyles, and health care is much better now.There is this myth that Indonesians from the pre-independence years lived longer. Is it true?
There is some truth to the myth. The difference between people today and those back in the old days are their customs and behaviors. Diets are especially different. People's needs haven't changed that much, the body still needs the same nutrients today that it did then. But now, with advancements in technology, there are a lot of processed foods that are full of chemicals.So we can assume that people back then led healthier lives?
It's possible. They might have been able to make their own food from nature without the use of technology. Physical activity is also a contributing factor. Back then, people relied on their physical strength to transport things. Today they use a car or a motorbike.Mbah Gotho was born before there was a vaccine for cholera available here. Cholera was a serious threat back then. More than 100,000 people died on the island of Java alone during the first pandemic. And there were six more pandemics. How did he live so long without being vaccinated? Can he just dodge death?
The point of a vaccine is to enhance the body's immune system against certain diseases. In the modern era, there are more and more pollutions every day, more technological innovations, and certain behaviors that may be causing new disease. In the past, people may not need vaccines because they have this kind of immunity due to a lack of pollution, and better lifestyles, and food.This interview was translated and edited for content and clarity.
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*Daeng Faqih:* There are many factors that contribute to one's lifespan. The first one is genetics. Every cell in an individual's body is unique. There is something called apoptosis—or the death of cells. These dead cells are replaced at varying rates. But the longer it takes or cells to die, the longer someone could live.Another factor is their lifestyle, basically their diets and exercise. And also a person's environment. The state of someone's home and the country's health care play a role.
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Around 70 years old. People today are more aware of healthy lifestyles, and health care is much better now.There is this myth that Indonesians from the pre-independence years lived longer. Is it true?
There is some truth to the myth. The difference between people today and those back in the old days are their customs and behaviors. Diets are especially different. People's needs haven't changed that much, the body still needs the same nutrients today that it did then. But now, with advancements in technology, there are a lot of processed foods that are full of chemicals.So we can assume that people back then led healthier lives?
It's possible. They might have been able to make their own food from nature without the use of technology. Physical activity is also a contributing factor. Back then, people relied on their physical strength to transport things. Today they use a car or a motorbike.Mbah Gotho was born before there was a vaccine for cholera available here. Cholera was a serious threat back then. More than 100,000 people died on the island of Java alone during the first pandemic. And there were six more pandemics. How did he live so long without being vaccinated? Can he just dodge death?
The point of a vaccine is to enhance the body's immune system against certain diseases. In the modern era, there are more and more pollutions every day, more technological innovations, and certain behaviors that may be causing new disease. In the past, people may not need vaccines because they have this kind of immunity due to a lack of pollution, and better lifestyles, and food.This interview was translated and edited for content and clarity.