There are many components of our life we cannot control that influence longevity, such as age, gender and race.
However, some things we can take charge of, including diet, lifestyle choices, and exercise.
A 72-year-old has shared a hobby he picked up at 59, which helped him lose weight and "stay in good shape".
Neal Ater spoke on the YouTube channel GrowingBolder about why he has become "hooked" on running.
Neal has run in Berlin, Paris, New York, Chicago, Reykjavik, London and Toronto
YouTube/GrowingBolder
Neal said: "I started walking when I turned 59. Then I did run-walk, walk-run, and my daughter talked me into doing a half marathon in February of that year, so I ran that.
"Then my other daughter talked me into the Disney Marathon, and after that, I was hooked."
The septuagenarian, who has run the Boston Marathon four times, shared that running has made him "lose 2st 9lb" and that his "blood pressure and pulse rate are down."
The 72-year-old added: "I feel really good and am fortunate to be in great shape. Life is good, and I am lucky to be able to do this at my age, and I appreciate it every day."
When asked what advice he would give others if they wanted to start running, he encouraged people to start slowly and build their way into it.
Neal said: "I do not want to sound corny like the Nike advertisement, but just do it. If you need to walk, walk instead of run. It gets easier each week. If you stay with it, anybody can do it."
A study published by the National Library of Medicine explained the importance of exercise on longevity.
It stated: "Physical activity reduces many major mortality risk factors, including arterial hypertension, type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, coronary heart disease, stroke, and cancer. All-cause mortality is decreased by about 30 to 35 per cent in physically active subjects compared to inactive subjects."
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The septuagenarian will run his fifth Boston Marathon with his daughter on April 21, 2025
YouTube/GrowingBolder
A 99-year-old recently shared how she has lived a long life, crediting it to a tip her aunt told her.
Dorothy Wiggins, who turns 100 on August 14, 2025, spoke on the YouTube channel Seeds Of Success by Sprouht about her longevity.
She said: "My father's sister used to tell me, 'Dorothy, live in the present. Do not live in the past; live in the present'.
"She would always say that to me, and it had some effect. I do live in the present and try to enjoy each moment."
