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 Democratic, see Red states and blue states.

A blue zone is a region in the world where people are claimed to have exceptionally long lives beyond the age of 80 due to a lifestyle combining physical activity, low stress, rich social interactions, a local whole-foods diet, and low disease incidence.[1] Examples of blue zones include Okinawa Prefecture, Japan; Nuoro Province, Sardinia, Italy; the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica; and Icaria, Greece.[1] The name "blue zones" derived simply during the original survey by scientists, who "used a blue pen on a map to mark the villages with long-lived population."[2]

The concept of blue zones with longevity has been challenged by the absence of scientific evidence,[3] and by the substantial decline of life expectancy during the 21st century in one of the first proposed blue zones, Okinawa.[4]

  1. ^ a b Poulain M, Herm A, Pes G (2013). "The Blue Zones: areas of exceptional longevity around the world" (PDF). Vienna Yearbook of Population Research. 11: 87–108. doi:10.1553/populationyearbook2013s87. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 March 2020. These populations succeeded in maintaining a traditional lifestyle implying an intense physical activity that extends beyond the age of 80, a reduced level of stress and intensive family and community support for their oldest olds as well as the consumption of locally produced food.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference poulain04 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference hall was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference hokama was invoked but never defined (see the help page).