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The world’s “blue zones” are There are an unusually high number of centenariansA new study that may reveal the secret to longevity shows that changes occur every few years.
These blue zones—Sardinia in Italy, Okinawa in Japan, Nicoya in Costa Rica, Ikaria in Greece—have a disproportionately high number of residents. people who live to an advanced ageespecially those born in the 1990s.
Many researchers doubt whether The popularity of these areas Because longevity centers can be due to data collection errors, fraud, or poor record keeping.
So better verification of age in these areas is important, especially as scientists try to understand the factors that help people live longer.
The new study was published in gerontologist, confirmed the authenticity of the blue zones, saying their status as longevity hotspots was based on “painstaking cross-examination of records” often dating back more than a century.
Research confirms – Based on multiple independent documentary sources such as civil birth and death records, church archives, genealogical reconstructions, electoral and military registrations, and face-to-face interviews – These places are indeed home to large numbers of nonagenarians and centenarians.
“Extraordinary claims about longevity require extraordinary evidence,” noted study author Steven Ostad, director of the American Federation for Aging Research. “What we show in this paper is that the original blue zone meets – and often exceeds – the rigorous validation criteria used worldwide to confirm extraordinary human lifespan.”
The researchers observed that blue areas are not permanent, with old blue areas disappearing over time and new blue areas appearing elsewhere.
In Okinawa and parts of Nicoya, for example, immigration, modernization and lifestyle changes appear to be eroding once-exceptional longevity patterns.
New blue zone candidates are emerging elsewhere in the world, underscoring the need for continued validation to find life-extending health interventions.
“The fact that blue areas can appear and disappear actually enhances their scientific value,” Dr. Ostad said.
“It allows researchers to study how social, cultural and lifestyle factors influence healthy aging over time.”
In fact, researchers say, these places are the most valuable “natural laboratories” for understanding healthy aging.
“A common theme among these four classic blue zones is isolation,” the study noted, noting that Sardinia, Ikaria and Okinawa occupy all or parts of islands, while Nicoya is located on a peninsula that until recently was inaccessible.
“Isolation enables cultural and even genetic uniqueness,” the researchers said. “Beyond isolation, there are few geographic, climatic, or ecological similarities between blue zones.”
They hope to study emerging blue zones in Rugao, China, and the Caribbean island of Martinique to better understand them.
“At a time when populations around the world are aging rapidly, public discussions and promising interventions must be based on sound science,” he said. national geographic Dan Buettner popularized the concept of blue zones but was not involved in the study.
“Blue Zones continues to provide real, proven insights into how we can live healthier, longer lives.”