Author Dan Buettner and his team have been working for over a decade on identifying places of longevity worldwide. They found places with a high concentration of individuals over 100 years old and clusters of people who had grown old without health problems like heart disease, obesity, cancer, or diabetes.

Blue Zones

This island is eight miles off the coast of Turkey in the Aegean Sea. It has some of the lowest rates of middle-age mortality and dementia worldwide. Research suggests their increased longevity is linked to their traditional Mediterranean diet.

Ikaria, Greece

Okinawa is home to the world’s longest-lived women.  Their diet includes staples like Okinawan sweet potatoes, soybeans, mugwort, turmeric, and goya (bitter melon).

Okinawa, Japan

The mountainous highlands of this Italian island has the world’s highest concentration of centenarian men. They eat a low-protein diet associated with lower diabetes, cancer, and death rates for people under age 65.

Ogliastra Region, Sardinia

This community has the highest concentration of Seventh-day Adventists in the United States. The residents live ten healthy years more than the average American. Their diet includes grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

Loma Linda, California

In this region of Central America, residents have the world’s lowest rate of middle-age mortality and the second-highest concentration of male centenarians. They have strong faith communities, deep social networks, and regular, low-intensity physical activity.

Nicola Peninsula, Costa Rica

<h1>5 “Blue Zones” Where the World’s Healthiest People Live</h1>These cultures have uncovered the secrets of longevity.<div>Published April 6, 2017</div><div dir="ltr">• 3 min read</div>For more than a decade, author Dan Buettner has been working to identify hot spots of longevity around the world. With the help of the National Geographic Society, Buettner set out to locate places that not only had high concentrations of individuals over 100 years old, but also clusters of people who had grown old without health problems like heart disease, obesity, cancer, or diabetes. His findings—along with easy steps you can take to live more like these cultures—can be found in his book, <a href="https://shop.nationalgeographic.com/product/books/books/health-and-wellness/the-blue-zones-solution---hardcover?code=NG25306" dir="ltr">The Blue Zones Solution</a>.<h3>Ikaria, Greece</h3><figure><img alt="" src="https://i.natgeofe.com/n/2c132c51-6d63-4113-98f9-81807f0d5863/1-ikaria.jpg?w=636&amp;h=424" width="508" height="339"></figure>This island eight miles off the coast of Turkey in the Aegean Sea has some of the world’s lowest rates of middle-age mortality and dementia. Research links their increased longevity with their traditional Mediterranean diet, which is heavy in vegetables and healthy fats and contains smaller amounts of dairy and meat products.<h3>Okinawa, Japan</h3><figure><img alt="" src="https://i.natgeofe.com/n/a77dc398-9d67-44d0-95ba-aa429e756975/2-okinawa.jpg?w=636&amp;h=424" width="508" height="339"></figure>The largest island in a subtropical archipelago controlled by Japan, Okinawa is home to the world’s longest-lived women. Food staples like Okinawan sweet potatoes, soybeans, mugwort, turmeric, and goya (bitter melon) keep Okinawans living long and healthy lives.<h3>Ogliastra Region, Sardinia</h3><figure><img alt="" src="https://i.natgeofe.com/n/e554c8a6-73b0-4c74-bdcb-926a15a4ba75/3-ogliastra.jpg?w=636&amp;h=424" width="508" height="339"></figure>The mountainous highlands of this Italian island boast the world’s highest concentration of centenarian men. Its population consumes a low-protein diet associated with lower rates of diabetes, cancer, and death for people under age 65.<h3>Loma Linda, California</h3><figure><img alt="" src="https://i.natgeofe.com/n/863db7ba-6a51-4747-b57b-62626fd9ac65/4-lomalinda.jpg?w=636&amp;h=424" width="508" height="339"></figure>This community has the highest concentration of Seventh-day Adventists in the United States, and some residents live 10 more healthy years than the average American by following a biblical diet of grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables.<h3>Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica</h3><figure><img alt="" src="https://i.natgeofe.com/n/da512a6d-f2ac-48de-9c91-8c67cc2b7897/5-nicoya.jpg?w=636&amp;h=424" width="508" height="339"></figure>In this region of Central America, residents have the world’s lowest rate of middle-age mortality and the second highest concentration of male centenarians. Their longevity secret lies partly in their strong faith communities, deep social networks, and habits of regular, low-intensity physical activity.Photographs by Shutterstock.

These cultures have uncovered the secrets of longevity.

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5 “Blue Zones” Where the World’s Healthiest People Live

These cultures have uncovered the secrets of longevity.

For more than a decade, author Dan Buettner has been working to identify hot spots of longevity around the world. With the help of the National Geographic Society, Buettner set out to locate places that not only had high concentrations of individuals over 100 years old, but also clusters of people who had grown old without health problems like heart disease, obesity, cancer, or diabetes. His findings—along with easy steps you can take to live more like these cultures—can be found in his book, <a href="https://shop.nationalgeographic.com/product/books/books/health-and-wellness/the-blue-zones-solution---hardcover?code=NG25306">The Blue Zones Solution </a>.

This island eight miles off the coast of Turkey in the Aegean Sea has some of the world’s lowest rates of middle-age mortality and dementia. Research links their increased longevity with their traditional Mediterranean diet, which is heavy in vegetables and healthy fats and contains smaller amounts of dairy and meat products.

The largest island in a subtropical archipelago controlled by Japan, Okinawa is home to the world’s longest-lived women. Food staples like Okinawan sweet potatoes, soybeans, mugwort, turmeric, and goya (bitter melon) keep Okinawans living long and healthy lives.

The mountainous highlands of this Italian island boast the world’s highest concentration of centenarian men. Its population consumes a low-protein diet associated with lower rates of diabetes, cancer, and death for people under age 65.

This community has the highest concentration of Seventh-day Adventists in the United States, and some residents live 10 more healthy years than the average American by following a biblical diet of grains, fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

In this region of Central America, residents have the world’s lowest rate of middle-age mortality and the second highest concentration of male centenarians. Their longevity secret lies partly in their strong faith communities, deep social networks, and habits of regular, low-intensity physical activity.

Photographs by Shutterstock.

5 "Blue Zones" Where the World's Healthiest People Live

Blue Zones

Ikaria, Greece

Okinawa, Japan

Ogliastra Region, Sardinia

Loma Linda, California

Nicola Peninsula, Costa Rica

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