Many of the elderly in Sardinia live in mountainous terrain where they hunt, fish, harvest, and gather their own food, which includes goat milk, cheese, barley, and vegetables. The very old people in Loma Linda, California, are part of a close-knit community of Seventh-day Adventists. This religious group prohibits alcohol and coffee while promoting a mostly vegetarian menu among its followers. On the Greek island of Ikaria, red wine is considered essential, and residents follow the typical Mediterranean diet, which includes plenty of fruits and vegetables along with small portions of meat and fish

Inhabitants of the Okinawan islands in Japan get most of their calories from potatoes, tofu, and fresh vegetables they cultivate in their own gardens, while centenarians in Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula primarily consume corn, beans, and squash.

However, while diet plays a significant role in these places, it alone does not fully explain the remarkable longevity of their inhabitants.

For the past twenty years, discovering the ‘formula for longevity’ in these ‘blue zones’ has been the obsession of Dan Buettner, a writer, speaker, and member of the National Geographic Society. Buettner, the author of the book ‘The Blue Zones: Lessons for Living Longer from the People Who’ve Lived the Longest’ and the creator of the popular docuseries, states, ‘10% of our life expectancy is determined by our genes, and the other 90% is based on our environment.’ He provocatively adds, ‘Most of the things people believe prolong life are wrong.

According to Buettner, while the ‘blue zones’ may not have much in common with each other, they have all, in their unique ways, uncovered a ‘magic recipe’ for reaching the age of one hundred with an enviable quality of life. To decipher this recipe, the journalist traveled the world in search of places where people consistently achieve these remarkable results. During his journey, he discovered that members of these communities tend to forge strong connections with friends and family, waking up each day with a sense of purpose. They also engage in regular physical activity, primarily through walking, and spend ample time outdoors in their gardens, constantly engaging in social interactions with others.

Observation vs. Science

Although Buettner popularized the concept of the ‘blue zone’ through his travels, books, and documentaries, it originated from a demographic study conducted in 2004 by researchers Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain on longevity in Sardinia, Italy. In their study, the researchers marked circles on a map with a thick blue marker in towns or cities where people reached the age of 100. Consequently, they identified the city of Nuoro as a region with a remarkable concentration of centenarian men and referred to it as a ‘blue zone.’ Since then, the term has become associated with places where inhabitants enjoy extraordinary longevity while living in good conditions.

Based on this study, Dan Buettner assembled a team of experts to explore other communities where a similar phenomenon occurred. In his bestselling book, the author identified five ‘blue zones’: Okinawa (Japan), Sardinia (Italy), Nicoya (Costa Rica), Ikaria (Greece), and Loma Linda (California). The author summarizes the key insight by stating, ‘The big epiphany is that lasting health rarely comes on its own or naturally; you have to cultivate it yourself.

The residents of these places combat stress by engaging in sacred daily rituals, such as ancestor remembrance in Okinawa or taking naps in Costa Rica.

Creating a social circle is one of the primary pillars of life in these regions. Even if it’s a small group, interacting with others who care about you when you’re sad or sick can contribute to a longer life. Additionally, according to Buettner, these areas place special importance on family ties, with most of the day’s main meals being shared with family or close associates. Another customary practice is not eating until you’re full but stopping when you reach about 80% of your stomach’s capacity. Furthermore, the majority of their daily calories are typically consumed during the early hours of the day.

However, not everyone agrees with the concept of miraculous ‘blue zones.’ Critics from the academic world argue that many of these conclusions are based on observations rather than extensive scientific studies.

Regardless of the accuracy of Buettner’s theory, people are living longer. According to the United Nations, the current worldwide life expectancy is 73 years, and it is projected to reach 75 by the middle of this century.

This raises the question: what should those who reach the so-called “fourth age” occupy their time with?

Ximena Abogabir, co-founder of Travesía 100, a Chilean B Corporation addressing the challenges of longevity through the empowerment and independence of older adults, equips them with concrete tools to navigate this stage of life. She asserts that ‘we need to redefine old age’ and argues, ‘older people don’t want to be a burden to their families but want to continue contributing. However, doors are often closed to us. It’s like hitting a glass ceiling, and you don’t understand why your value is no longer recognized for who you are or what you can contribute. That’s why we should replace the linear model of life with a holistic one that allows for productivity, learning, and rest throughout the course of existence.

It seems that the secret to longevity is quite simple. Kamada Nakazato, a centenarian from Okinawa, summed it up for Dan Buettner: “eat vegetables, have a positive attitude, be kind to everyone, and smile.”