Blue zone

For the band, see Blue Zone (band). For the parking zone regulations, see Disc parking. For parts of the United States which vote majority Democrat, see Red states and blue states.

Blue Zones are regions of the world thought to have a higher than usual number of people live much longer than average, identified by Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain. Four "Blue Zones" have been posited: Okinawa (Japan); Sardinia (Italy); Nicoya (Costa Rica); and Icaria (Greece).

History

The concept of Blue Zones grew out of demographic work done by Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain outlined in the journal Experimental Gerontology, who identified Sardinia's Nuoro province as the region with the highest concentration of male centenarians. As the two men zeroed in on the cluster of villages with the highest longevity, they drew concentric blue circles on the map and began referring to the area inside the circle as the "Blue Zone". Together with demographers Pes and Poulain, Buettner broadened the term, applying it to validated longevity areas of Okinawa, Japan, and among the Seventh-day Adventists in Loma Linda, California. Buettner and Poulain, under the aegis of National Geographic, then identified and validated longevity hotspots in Nicoya, Costa Rica, and Icaria, Greece.

Blue zones

An elderly Sardinian man

• Sardinia, Italy (particularly Ogliastra, Barbagia of Ollolai, and Barbagia of Seulo): A village called Seulo, located in the Barbagia of Seulo, holds the record of 20 centenarians from 1996 to 2016, that confirms it is "the place where people live the longest in the world".
• The islands of Okinawa, Japan
• Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica
• Icaria, Greece

In 1998, a study carried out on the eating habits of the population of Yuzurihara, where the inhabitants grew very old with the best quality of life. Another research group of the University of California, in collaboration with the University of Rome La Sapienza, is investigating temporal bluezones in Italy outside of Sardinia.

Characteristics

Moderate, regular physical activity

The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are said to contribute to the longer life expectancy of people living in Blue Zones, alongside keeping a healthy diet, helping to prevent health problems such as cardiovascular diseases, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, anxiety and a higher weight. The mental effects of exercising - in releasing of a variety of neurotransmitters, such as endorphins, serotonin, and dopamine chemicals - are also said to contribute. Studies within people of the Blue Zones have shown that being physically active does not mean going to the gym everyday, instead being constantly moving and trying to exercise while doing daily tasks.

Life purpose

The longevity of health of inhabitants of the Blue Zones is also said to be contributed to by what they consider to be their life purpose, as well as being open to both success and failure. Okinawans, for example, utilize the concept known as ikigai, meaning "a reason for being".

Stress reduction

Inhabitants of Blue Zones also learn how to cope with stress in a healthy way, accepting that though it is important for one's life not to be overrun by it, as high levels of stress can cause serious health problems, such as high blood pressure, anxiety and depression. Not all stress can be eliminated, and some amount of stress has to be lived with and endured. Some ways that people living in Blue Zones cope with stress is by having social support groups in which they confide and regularly interact with.

Moderate caloric intake

In order to maintain a strong and healthy body, Blue Zone inhabitants, though they consume fewer calories than most, do not deprive themselves to a limited number of calories a day, in comparison to other areas; according to the United States Government project called "My Plate", the average caloric intake for the American person varies according to gender and physical fitness, to between 1,500 and 2,200 calories.

Plant-based diet

The countries located in the Blue Zones mostly consume foods considered to be part of the Mediterranean diet, which consists mostly of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, seeds, and spices, with meat consumed sporadically, the vast majority of which, being fish and lean meat.

Moderate alcohol intake

According to researchers, light to moderate consumption of alcoholic products, such as wine, champagne, beer and other alcoholic beverages, may provide some benefits to overall health, such as the reduction in cardiovascular problems, but being physically active and maintaining a healthy diet are shown to have greater health benefits in the long run.

Engagement in spirituality or religion

Another contributing factor to the health of inhabitants of Blue Zones is involvement in religion and spirituality, associated with better health outcomes, greater longevity, better coping mechanisms, and increased quality of life. The people of Blue Zones use their religion to cope, learning that serving and thinking about others is crucial.

Engagement in social life

Social ties, which can have a significant impact on physical health, are emphasized within the lifestyles of those living in Blue Zones, with the need for different social relationships and recognised as important to reducing stress and its related issues. Physical contact, from simple actions, such as holding hands, to higher forms of contact, such as sex, can assist the body in releasing important chemicals, such as hormones, which have biological benefits on top of mental, emotional, and physical ones. Marriage is seen as important for a person's stability, with studies having found that those who are married are more likely to have greater cardiovascular health than single individuals, and that when one partner engages in improving their health, the other is likely to follow as well.

Criticism

A study of claimed longevity in Okinawa was unable to verify whether or not people there were as old as they claimed because many records did not survive WWII. More recent data has shown that life expectancy in Okinawa is no longer exceptional when compared to the rest of Japan: "male longevity is now ranked 26th among the 47 prefectures of Japan."

See also

• AARP/Blue Zones Vitality Project
• Alameda County Study
• Longevity
• Centenarian
• Supercentenarian
• Research into centenarians
• Gerontology Research Group

External links

• Official website