- At 93, John Starbrook is more active than most young adults.
- Starbrook plays water polo competitively and goes to the gym twice a day.
- He does other things thought to boost longevity including eating whole foods and spending time with loved ones.
At 93, John Starbrook competes in water polo games, hits the gym up to twice a day, and only stopped running marathons five years ago.
He likes to start his day with a spin class and might go back to the gym at around 4 or 5 p.m. to work on his upper body, the retired father of three from the UK told The Guardian. Aside from "a touch of" arthritis in one knee and an irregular heartbeat, Starbrook says he's in perfect health.
"A lot of people seem to think that when they hit 50, they're old. I hear that and I don't know what they're talking about," he told the outlet.
As average life spans rise and an aging population becomes a global reality, interest in staying healthy for longer is growing. More than $450 million was spent on wellness products and services such as fitness classes and wearable technology in 2022, according to McKinsey estimates. And this figure is predicted to rise by 5% annually.
However, experts agree that how long a person lives is impacted both by their lifestyle choices and their genes. A recent study found that people predisposed to diseases that could shorten their lifespan were 21% more likely to die early than those predisposed to longer lives, even if they made healthy lifestyle choices. But a healthy lifestyle appeared to offset the effects of genes linked to a shorter lifespan by 62%.
Here's Starbrook's daily routine, which he shared with The Guardian.
Eating a Mediterranean-style diet
What a person eats can greatly impact their health and longevity. Starbrook has oatmeal for breakfast, eats lots of fruits and vegetables, and fried food only on occasion. He has also never smoked or drank much alcohol.
His diet, which is high in whole foods and fiber, is similar to the Mediterranean diet, ranked the healthiest way to eat for seven years running by US News & World Report. The eating plan is packed with whole grains, legumes, fresh fruit and veggies, nuts, seeds, and healthy fats. It steers away from red meat, fried food, refined sugar, and ultra-processed foods.
There's evidence to suggest that eating this way can add years to a person's life. A research tool created by researchers from the University of Bergen in Norway in 2022, based on existing data, found that eating more plants and less processed food may add a decade to life expectancy, compared to a standard American diet full of added sugar, refined grains, and processed meat.
This diet also shares many features with what's eaten by people who live in Blue Zones, regions where citizens tend to live significantly longer than their country's average life expectancy. They typically eat lots of beans and produce, and mainly plant-based foods.
Exercising every day
Centenarians BI has spoken to ensure that they stay physically active in some capacity, whether that means gentle stretches or daily walks. But Starbrook appears to belong to a league of his own in this department. As well as his gym sessions and water polo, he swims three times a week.
Born in London in the 1930s, Starbrook said he became fit thanks to his first job, delivering milk from a horse-drawn cart to people's homes, which he got at age 15. He also swam as a young teenager and raced butterfly at the national swimming championships.
Later, he was conscripted into the army, helped build power stations, worked in various shops, and delivered eggs to businesses. But he really amped things up at age 53 when he got into running marathons. Between then and 2019, he completed 52 marathons, with a personal best of four hours and 14 minutes.
The US Health Department recommends that adults do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity or 75 to 150 minutes of vigorous weekly exercise as well as muscle-strengthening activities. This is understood to provide benefits from reduced cancer risk to improved mood and sleep to reduced risk of injury from falls, according to the Department.
Spending time with people
Starbrook has a lot of social interaction in his life. He has been married to his wife Judy for 62 years, ran the London marathon with his granddaughter, and is known as "The Legend" by fellow members of his local sports center.
Research suggests social bonds are an important part of a long, healthy life. In 2023, for instance, researchers who analyzed lifestyle data from 110,799 people aged between 40 and 75 found that people who emphasized rest, exercise, and socializing with friends, as well as a healthy diet, had a 29% lower risk of dying from any cause and a 28% lower risk of dying from cancer than those who didn't.