Keeping active seems to be a key. My F-I-L has quite a bit of abdominal fat, but walks a lot. He's 83, and until he fell off the roof a couple of years ago (looking after his bees) and hurt his shoulder, played a mean game of tennis.
An uncle, 88, is just morbidly obese! But still gets around, looks after his disabled wife, lives in a small unit - morbidity just isn't catching up with him.
To a certain extent going into a retirement home, where far too much is done for you, is a bad move unless totally unavoidable. Another uncle finally had to move in to one at 95 after he fell and broke his pelvis. Downhill after that, no exercise.
