New Study Confirms Some "Blue Zones" Are Real

"Blue zones" are regions where people have unusually long lives, with a disproportionately high concentration of people living past 90 and 100.

The term was coined almost 20 years ago, but critics recently questioned whether they're real. They argued the exceptionally old ages were just the result of poor record-keeping or clerical errors. Now new research has re-examined the data and confirmed that some blue zones are the real deal.

The study, published in The Gerontologist, noted these areas aren't just about numbers of elderly people. Many retain exceptional health and vigor into advanced age.

"Extraordinary claims about longevity demand extraordinary evidence," said Steven N. Austad, co-author of the study and scientific director at the American Federation for Aging Research.

What Makes a Blue Zone

To be designated as a blue zone, a place must be geographically defined with an exceptionally high concentration of people living to at least 90 years old over the past 150 years. Records must validate birth and death certificates.

While genetics may play a role, research increasingly points toward lifestyle, diet, physical activity, and social connection as central contributors to long life with low rates of chronic disease.

This new analysis confirms two geographic areas that still qualify as blue zones. It also revisits two sites that once met the criteria but don't anymore.

Sardinia, Italy

The Sardinian blue zone is located across six villages in the east-central part of the island, a region called Ogliastra.

The percentage of centenarians among people born between 1880 and 1900 was approximately five times higher than in the rest of Europe and three times higher than in Sardinia as a whole. That proportion has only increased since.

While globally more women than men reach 100, in this part of Sardinia the proportion is roughly equal.

Researchers validated ages by cross-checking civil and ecclesiastical archives and reconstructing family genealogies to rule out errors or identity switches.

Ikaria, Greece

Ikaria is a small Greek island in the Aegean sea with about 8,000 people.

When it was first identified as a blue zone in 2009, the percentage of residents aged 90 or older was around three times the national average. Surveys confirmed an unusually high number of people living past 90 and 100.

Blue Zones That No Longer Qualify

Okinawa, Japan

In 1976, the Japanese island was reported to have a percentage of centenarians seven times higher than the rest of the country.

But the population no longer meets blue zone requirements. Only cohorts born before 1940 fulfilled the criteria. By 2006, the centenarian rate had fallen to only about twice that of the rest of Japan.

Since it was first designated as a blue zone, wars and massively increasing westernization, much of it linked to the long-standing U.S. military presence on the island, appear to have eroded islanders' health.

Nicoya, Costa Rica

Nicoya is another blue zone that's shrinking. Was defined by men born before 1930, many of whom lived to reach 100. But those born after are less likely to become centenarians, for reasons that aren't entirely clear yet.

By 2010, the original Nicoya blue zone had shrunk to about one-quarter of its original size, while a new area of exceptional longevity emerged in three provinces in northern Costa Rica near the Nicaraguan border.

Common Features

A common theme of the four classic blue zones is isolation. Sardinia, Ikaria, and Okinawa occupy entire islands or large sections of islands, while Nicoya lies on a peninsula that until recent times was difficult to access.

This relative isolation allowed each area to develop its own language or dialect, as well as possible cultural and genetic uniqueness.

New Blue Zones Emerging

Researchers also highlighted new blue zones emerging. Candidate regions in the Netherlands, China, and the Caribbean Island of Martinique are currently undergoing validation.

Study Proves Longevity Can Be Influenced By Lifestyle

Critics spent years questioning whether blue zones were real or just bad record-keeping. This study validates that some are genuine.

What makes people in these places live longer isn't purely genetic. Lifestyle, diet, physical activity, social connection all play bigger roles. That's good news because it means longevity isn't just luck. It's something people can influence through how they live.

The disappearance of some blue zones is just as informative as finding new ones. It shows what happens when traditional lifestyles get replaced by modern western habits. Okinawa went from centenarians at seven times the national rate to barely twice the rate in a few generations.

Some blue zones are real, validated by solid research. Others have faded as lifestyles have changed. New ones might be emerging in unexpected places. The lessons from these regions about diet, activity, social connection could help people everywhere live longer, healthier lives.

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