<p>Yes, no, maybe.&nbsp;</p>
<p>A lot of recent research I come across points to our genes having a bigger influence than food. So that is to say, if you lost the gene lottery then it doesn't matter how good your diet is, you still may die early, and conversely if you won the gene lottery then you can eat like shit and still live to be 100. In fact, when I read interviews with centennials I am always struck by just how bad their diet often is. One Japanese man I read said his secret to long life is a cigar a day (I think George Burns said the same). A Japanese woman credited her long life to daily sake.&nbsp;</p>
<p>But the genes being the biggest factor to long life is just a theory. I'd say it's better to eat a healthy diet, just in case.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Incidentally, we may soon start to see just how much diet really influences these things in Japan. Whereas many of the oldest folks in Japan grew up eating a fantastic and healthy diet, KFC and other fast food was introduced in the 70s and has grown to be very popular, to the point where there are people today in Japan who eat nothing but junk food. As these people who were raised on junk food start to age, will they start to die off sooner than their parents? We shall see.&nbsp;</p>