24.09.2025 Isabel Hempel 2335

Growing old healthily: Insights on longevity by Dr. Kati Ernst

Dr. Kati Ernst is one of the leading experts in the field of longevity research with a special focus on nutrition and sports science. She is passionately committed to helping people not only to live longer, but above all to live healthier lives.
In this interview, Kati Ernst explains exactly what longevity means, which scientific advances are currently particularly promising and how lifestyle and social relationships make a decisive contribution to quality of life. She gives valuable personal tips for a fulfilled and long life.

"Lifestyle influences over 80 percent of our longevity"

1. what does "longevity" mean to you and why is it such an important topic in today's world?

Dr. Kati Ernst: Longevity as a trend describes the effort to live as long a healthy life as possible, i.e. to minimize the span between the end of life and the end of a healthy life. Nowadays, many people live with multiple chronic diseases in the last ten years of their lives. The first priority is to prevent these.

And then it's all about postponing the end of a healthy life as far back as possible. This trend is certainly a result of the coronavirus pandemic, which has brought the mega topic of health back into focus worldwide. 

2. which scientific advances do you see as the most promising in longevity research?

Dr. Kati Ernst: As Longevity is about a long, healthy life, it naturally includes an incredible number of areas of research and life. This ranges from findings in the field of nutritional science and sports medicine to pharmacological developments. It is therefore difficult to pick out just one area.

One study that I find particularly exciting is the so-called TAME study from the USA. This study is investigating how the diabetic drug metformin could potentially prolong the lives of non-diabetics. As metformin is no longer patented, it is particularly cheap, and if it could actually help non-diabetics to live longer, that would be a big step forward for broad sections of society. 

3. how do lifestyle and diet influence lifespan and quality of life?

Dr. Kati Ernst: Are there certain habits that you would recommend? In fact, our lifestyle determines over 80 percent of our longevity, so lifestyle changes should be the focus of any effort in this area. There are four main areas here: Diet, exercise and movement, rest and sleep, and emotional health. These four areas are equally important and should all be part of a holistic longevity lifestyle. 

4. can everyone age more healthily?

Dr. Kati Ernst: There's nothing wrong with that at first. Especially as most major lifestyle adjustments do not involve major financial expenditure.

"Social relationships and health are key to happiness"

5 What role do social relationships and communities play in longevity? How can we strengthen these aspects?

Dr. Kati Ernst: A Harvard study spanning eight decades has shown that social relationships and health are the keys to a happy life. Therefore, relationships are a core component of the emotional health pillar, which is a cornerstone of the longevity lifestyle.

Nurturing human interactions should be just as important as adjusting your diet or creating an exercise program. For some people, the focus will be on welcoming new people into their lives, for example by joining a club.

For others, it will be more about deepening existing relationships, for example by meeting colleagues you like outside of working hours. 

6. what is your personal advice for people who are striving for a long and fulfilling life?

Dr. Kati Ernst: I think an important first step is to take some time to think about why you want to have a long and fulfilling life. Thinking intensively about these thoughts gives the whole thing a greater sense of purpose, which helps to implement life adjustments more successfully.

And then, of course, it's about looking at the areas where you have the biggest construction sites. That's where you should start. For some, it will be about making a successful dietary change, for others it will be about integrating sport into their lives in the first place. A third person will finally prioritize their own sleep. Where you start is always very individual.

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