Why People in Blue Zones Live Longer Than the Rest of the World

by Healthline Networks, Inc.

Chronic diseases are becoming more and more common in old age. While genetics somewhat determine your lifespan and susceptibility to these diseases, your lifestyle probably has a greater impact. A few places in the world are called "Blue Zones". The term refers to geographic areas in which people have low rates of chronic disease and live longer than anywhere else. This article describes the common lifestyle features of people in Blue Zones, including why they live longer.

What Are Blue Zones?

"Blue Zone" is a non-scientific term given to geographic regions that are home to some of the world's oldest people. It was first used by the author Dan Buettner, who was studying areas of the world in which people live exceptionally long lives. They are called Blue Zones because when Buettner and his colleagues were searching for these areas, they drew blue circles around them on a map.

In his book called The Blue Zones, Buettner described five known Blue Zones:

• Icaria (Greece): Icaria is an island in Greece where people eat a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil, red wine and homegrown vegetables.
• Ogliastra, Sardinia (Italy): The Ogliastra region of Sardinia is home to some of the oldest men in the world. They live in mountainous regions where they typically work on farms and drink lots of red wine.
• Okinawa (Japan): Okinawa is home to the world