Britain’s Oldest Man Reveals The Key To Reaching 111 – Not a Healthy Diet But Avoiding Dying
Although a recent study reveals France to be the country with the highest number of centenarians per capita in Europe, the UK also has quite a few of them.
England’s Bob Weighton just turned 111 on Friday, March 29th and had a small celebration at Alton, Hampshire. Together with Scotsman Alfred Smith, he is currently the oldest living British man.
Surprisingly, the secret to his long life has nothing to do with healthy diets or regular exercises.
Asked by a Sky News journalist how he came to live that long, he said jokingly: “By avoiding dying – there’s no reason otherwise!”.
Born in Hull in 1908, the former teacher and engineer says the people around him have not changed much despite the rapid technological advancements he’s witnessed over the past decades.
As you may probably guess, Bob’s family is huge. He had three children (two sons and a daughter), ten grandchildren and twenty-five great-grandchildren. Yet, his 111th anniversary was not marked with fireworks and a big birthday cake.
In his own words, he’s got a bit bored with all these familiar faces around him and has come to take genuine delight only in meeting new people who’ve traveled to exotic destinations.
Despite his ripe old age, Bob’s body is just as agile as his mind. Believe it or not, but he is still able to do the shopping and cook for himself. He uses a walking aid, of course, which now has a shiny new number plate ‘Bob 111’ to mark his landmark age.
The British subjects who live to be a hundred years old always receive a special birthday greeting from the Queen, but as Bob has already received eleven of these, he has officially requested not to get them anymore.
“I thought that’s enough, but I might consider another one next year if I live that long,” he said.