Background/Objective: Centenarians' dietary habits have been associated with healthy aging, although it is centenarians' perceptions about their diet that influence what they eat and in what amounts. However, there is little research on centenarians' viewpoints about their past and current eating patterns and their impact on centenarians' current nutritional status. Thus, this study explored the perceptions about lifetime dietary habits of community-dwelling Appalachian centenarians. Design: A

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... ualitative descriptive design. Setting: Home or the facility where participants lived. Participants: A convenience sample of community-dwelling centenarians. Measurements: Face-to-face interviews were used. Transcripts were analyzed with the Nuendorf's method of content analysis. Results: Emerging themes were source of food, food preferences, food consumption, balanced diet, food preparation & storage, responsibility for nutrition of family, and longevity. Conclusion: Centenarians' perceptions about their dietary behaviors need to be considered when adjusting their diets and eating patterns for clinical purposes.