Core Viewpoint - The study indicates that vegetarian diets, particularly strict vegan diets, are negatively correlated with the likelihood of becoming centenarians among Chinese adults aged 80 and older, with vegetarians having a 19% lower chance and vegans a 29% lower chance compared to omnivores [2][6]. Study Design and Methodology - The research is a nested case-control study involving 5,203 participants aged 80 and above from a nationwide survey initiated in 1998, categorizing them into omnivores and vegetarians, with further subdivisions into pescatarians, lacto-ovo vegetarians, and strict vegans [4]. - The primary outcome measured was the likelihood of reaching 100 years of age by the end of the follow-up in 2018, using multivariable unconditional logistic regression for association analysis [4]. Key Findings - A total of 1,459 centenarians were identified and matched with 3,744 non-centenarians, revealing that vegetarians had a lower likelihood of becoming centenarians (OR=0.81), with strict vegans showing an even lower likelihood (OR=0.71) [5]. - No significant association was found for pescatarians (OR=0.84) and lacto-ovo vegetarians (OR=0.86) regarding centenarian status [5]. - Significant associations were observed in individuals with a BMI < 18.5 kg/m² (OR=0.72), while no significant association was noted in those with a BMI ≥ 18.5 kg/m² (OR=0.92) [5]. Implications - The results suggest that a vegetarian diet, especially a strict vegan diet, is associated with a reduced likelihood of reaching 100 years of age, emphasizing the importance of a balanced and high-quality diet that includes both animal and plant-based food components for longevity, particularly in underweight elderly individuals [6]. - It is recommended that vegetarians consider incorporating fish, eggs, and dairy products to prevent nutritional imbalances and the negative impacts of low body weight on long-term survival [6].