Silvio Garattini, founder and president of the Mario Negri research institute in Italy, turns 98 on November 12. The milestone was marked live on RAI Uno's program La volta buona, hosted by Caterina Balivo, where Garattini also spoke about the habits he believes contribute to longevity.
Garattini described his own daily routine as deliberately spare. He begins the day with a light breakfast of tea and ten thin biscuits, eats very little at lunch and keeps dinner small. He reports weighing about 52 kilograms. He was clear, however, that no single habit explains a long life. In his view, many factors combine, and overeating is a key risk because it leads to weight gain. He noted that very old people who eat freely are the exception rather than the rule.
On health risks, Garattini named smoking, alcohol and an excess of cured meats as factors linked to cancer. He also called wine carcinogenic, a position he acknowledged would not be welcome in Italy, where wine is part of everyday culture. By contrast, he pointed to regular physical movement, good sleep and a varied, moderate diet as central to staying healthy over time.
Garattini also linked education to better health, arguing that people who understand more about their bodies and the risks they face tend to be more aware of how to protect themselves. His remarks combined personal habits with a broader message about prevention, which has long been central to the work of the institute he founded.