A man in Peru is thought to be the world’s oldest person and recently turned 125 in his care home – standing at 4ft 3in, Marcelino reckons his healthy eating is his secret
A man who is just 4ft 3in tall is now believed to be the world’s oldest person after he turned 125. Marcelino Abad Tolentino, from Peru, chalks his long life down to his healthy diet and celebrated his most recent birthday at a care home, his place of residence, this Saturday
Marcelino, who also goes by Mashico, grows and eats his own vegetables. He said he regularly eats fruit and lamb too, and revealed his favourite food is avocados. He was tragically orphaned at the young age of seven after his parents died while crossing a river, and was unable to attend school as the nearest one was too far away.
Therefore Marcelino began working the fields, raising animals and trading farm produce. He has never married or had a partner, and has no children, choosing to lead a solitary life outdoors.
He has been reported to chew coca leaves, which is a habit he acquired while farming as it helped him to stay energised during the long working hours.
Marcelino has supported his diet with additional herbs and medicinal plants he gathers from nature. Labelling his own produce as from the “Garden of Eden”, he said his farming was born from key knowledge that has been passed down through generations.
Now living in a care home in Huánuco, Peru, his cook Dolores Pérez told a local media platform that “he always asks for avocado in the mornings for breakfast” and that “he can’t live without his avocado”.
With numerous benefits, avocados are nutritionally rich and support heart health; manage cholesterol; help regulate appetite; keep eyes healthy; boost skin health and appearance; benefit your gut health; support bones and joints; and increase nutrient absorption, according to BBC Good Food.
Born in a remote district called Chaglla, which sits at nearly 10,000ft above sea level, Marcelino’s government-issued photo ID states his year of birth as 1900, confirming his age to be an impressive 125.
The ex-farmer’s friends have described him as “kind” and always helpful to those in need. As of yet, it is unclear as to whether the Guinness World Records team is attempting to certify him as the oldest living person, however the current record holder is a Brazilian nun called Inah Canabarro Lucas, who is 116 years old.
She took the title after the death of Tomiko Itooka, a Japanese woman who passed away in her nursing home in Ashiya, Hyōgo Prefecture, in December 2024. Inah, who is also the record holder for being the oldest nun in the world, was born on June 8, 1908 in Sao Francisco de Assis in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Many believed she would not reach adulthood due to how small she was as a child.
Inah was 16 when she began her religious journey and studied at the Santa Teresa de Jesus boarding school in Santana do Livramento from December 1928.
