LONDON, England (Reuters) -- A 116-year-old Ecuadorean woman was declared the oldest person in the world on Friday, lifting the title from a U.S. woman previously thought to be the oldest person alive, Guinness World Records said.

Maria Esther Capovilla was confirmed as the oldest living person after her family submitted details of her birth and marriage.

"We only told her yesterday she was the new Guinness world record holder," Kate White, brand manager at the records publisher said. "We hadn't heard of her before."

"She's in very good health, she's got good sight, is able to read the papers and watch television, and doesn't walk with a stick," White added.

Capovilla was born in Guayaqull in western Ecuador on September 14, 1889, and lives there today with her daughter-in-law and son.

She had five children, and has four grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

Her husband died in 1949.

White said Capovilla had been asked what she thought about the changes she had seen over her life.

"She said she disliked the fact that presently it's acceptable for women to pursue men. And she said that every day she thanks God that she's alive," White said.

One of Capovilla's favorite pastimes as a girl at the turn of the century was going to parties, but she never drank alcohol.

At the time it was the custom for women just to touch the rim of the glass with their lips without drinking, as a sign of accepting hospitality, her family told Guinness World Records.

Elizabeth Bolden, from Memphis, Tennessee, born August 15, 1890, had previously been regarded as the oldest living person.

Emiliano Mercado Del Toro, 114, from Puerto Rico, is the world's oldest living man, aged 114, Guinness World Records says.

 

Wow, that is awesome! Keep on keeping on!

 

My dad's 91 next month. Very fit although he gave up driving a car a few years ago.

 

I think that living a long life is wonderful as long as one has quality of life.

My mother will be 88 next May. She, thankfully, is in good health and seems to be going on sixty something. Most people think that she is in her late sixties or early seventies.

I visited her for Thanksgiving and we went out to eat or drink every night that I was there. As, she no longer drives at night (due to her cararacts), and her friends and neighbors (ages 70- 94) are not as much of a party animal as she is (she was a late bloomer) she does not get out as much as she would like. So whenever I visit I always make a point of getting her out of the house. She generally gets me home by 02:00 No kidding! I it.

But, I am certainly not looking forward to the day that changes.

 

Not too long ago I remember reading that the last widow of a Civil War veteran had died. Granted, she was in her early teens and he was in his eighties when they married (she, for the pension), but still, it amazed me that there could possibly be a person still living who was a link to an event that happened 140 years ago.

It is truly amazing how long some people live.

 

It is amazing that we have seen such a dramatic increase in life expectancy in the U.S. in the last one hundred years! The difference from the turn of the 20th century to the end of the 20th century is an amazing twenty-eight years in less than one century. From 49 years if one was born in 1901 to a age of 77 years at the end of the century.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life_expectan...r_human_history

How long can Mother Earth sustain us? We (the world's population) really need to think about zero population growth. Barbara and I have done our part by NOT having children.

 

I'm going to visit my 98 year old grandmother at Christmas. She still lives in her own home, (next door to my parents.) My wife sent her an invitation to our Halloween party in rhyme. Grandma sent her regrets in rhyme! She is still very sharp.

 

Wow. That is really something. As many have said before, quality of life is key, otherwise longevity would be pointless.
Sounds like your grandma is still enjoying life a great deal, what a Joy.

 

Wow! That is very cool!

 

Ditto on the quality of life comment. I completely agree.

Though, as someone who doesn't believe in an afterlife I must say that I temper the quality of life consideration with the fact (to me) that life is something to be tightly held on to.