It seems like it’s about statistics, more than anything. Some people can be sedentary and smoke their whole lives and eat lard non stop and still live to be 80. Doesn’t mean any of that helped them in any way.

It’s like that for them, too; regardless of their sanitary practices, some people will live to be old. On its own I don’t think it says much about their effectiveness.

Long-lived people have always existed. The difference is in the % of people that make it that far.