Relatives of George Rene Francis were on hand recently in Sacramento to celebrate his 110th birthday and revel in his ability to overcome an unhealthy diet.

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While Francis' relatives honored his birthday last weekend with a lavish party, The Sacramento Bee said Monday that many partygoers were simply aghast at the 110-year-old's ability to survive a history of unhealthy eating habits.

"If you look at his eating history, he's lived a long time for all the wrong reasons," his son Tony Francis told the Bee. "He drank tons of milk, ate tons of eggs, lard on bread and pork-salt sandwiches."

A co-owner of Luigi's Pizza Parlor pointed out that despite his advanced age, Francis is still able to enjoy the hearty pastrami sandwiches his locale serves.

"He's still able to eat it," Sergio Brida said. "I'm 65, and I get heartburn."

Adding to the mystery, the Bee said, is Francis' unwillingness to visit a doctor for much of his life and his love of cigars, that he only gave up when he turned 75.