Tiny Italian town nearly has 10 residents over the age of 100

Feb. 14 (UPI) -- An upcoming birthday in a small Italian town of about 1,765 people is expected to earn the municipality an unusual distinction as the home of 10 people over the age of 100.

Vittorio Lai celebrated his 100th birthday Saturday in the town of Perdasdefogu, on the island of Sardinia, and Piuccia Lai, who shares the same last name but is not related, will celebrate her 100th birthday on Feb. 20.

Sardinia has been identified as one of the five places in the world with the highest concentration of centenarians, with 33.6 people over the age of 100 for every 100,000 residents.

Perdasdefogu made headlines in 2012 when the Melis family was certified by Guinness World Records as the world's oldest set of nine siblings.

Consolata Melis, the family's eldest sibling, holds the record for the town's oldest-ever resident after dying at the age of 108 in 2015.

Scientists who have studied the town said clean air, active lifestyles and healthy diets all likely contribute to the high concentration of

"The presence of 10 centenarians confirms the exceptional longevity of the inhabitants of Perdasdefogu, and moves the bar even higher," Luisa Salaris, a demographics professor at the University of Cagliari, told The Guardian.