Blue Zones, a concept introduced by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic explorer, refers to five world regions distinguished for their inhabitants' exceptional longevity and health (Buettner 2016). The term arose after Buettner explored Okinawa, Japan, a Blue Zone, to investigate the causes of its residents’ longevity and exceptional health. Dr. Bradley Willcox, at the John A. Burns School of Medicine, states that the Okinawan population has “80% less CHD [Coronary Heart Disease] mortality and 40% less cancer mortality than the U.S. population” (Willcox 2013). Inspired by his findings in Okinawa, Buettner set out to discover additional places known for high longevity, which later became known as Blue Zones. Buettner ultimately identified several factors leading to longevity and better health in Blue Zones. His discoveries give important insights into longevity and well-being and can influence healthier lifestyles worldwide. According to “ScienceDaily”, a science news journal, “Over 95% of the world’s population has health problems” (“ScienceDaily”). Implementing the lifestyles of Blue Zone residents may be the solution to society’s widespread health problems. Through research on the physical and mental health and social engagement of Blue Zone residents, the immense medical benefits of these regions are becoming evident, and their lifestyles can be promoted worldwide to improve global health.

One factor that sets apart Blue Zones relates to physical activity. Blue Zone residents boost their health by remaining physically active throughout their lives. Dr. Badri Mishra, at Ruxmaniben Deepchand Gardi Medical College, highlights that Okinawa residents have lower risks of major health issues as they maintain active lifestyles well into their 90s (Mishra 2009). Dr. Casandra Herbert et al., from Bond University, explain that Blue Zone residents thrive amid a world filled with chronic illness because of their geographic isolation, terrain, environment, and culture (Herbert et al. 2022). The community of shepherds living in Sardinia, Italy, a Blue Zone, “walk 5 mountainous miles a day or more. This natural movement provides all the positive cardiovascular benefits you might expect and also has a positive effect on muscle and bone metabolism” (Buettner 2016). Hill-walking, which is easily accessible due to the Blue Zones’s mountainous regions, helps promote peak health. Briana Riddell, an Architectural Designer from Georgia Institute of Technology states that in the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica, a Blue Zone, residents are constantly walking in the region’s hilly terrain, which gives them accessible physical activity. Riddell continues to state that the isolated terrain allows residents to follow tradition and avoid modern Western eating habits (Riddell 2016). This is crucial, given the detrimental impact of the Western diet on health. Dr. Varundeep Rakhra et al., a specialist in internal medicine, state that the Western diet, loaded with high-fat, sugary foods, contributes to rising obesity rates worldwide (Rakhra et al. 2020). Blue Zone residents can maintain peak health by implementing hill-walking and avoiding Western diet eating patterns.

Another benefit of living in a Blue Zone is the positive impact on mental health due to plant-based diets. The Forbes Health Magazine states that since COVID-19, “Depressive symptoms grew from a base of about 193 million people worldwide to 246 million, which is about 28%” (Forbes 2023). As mental health conditions are on the rise, the need for solutions becomes increasingly important. One answer to this health crisis may be found in the lifestyles of Blue Zone residents, who according to dietitian Ciara Heath et al. have “significantly better rates of mental wellness when compared to the average American” (Heath et al. 2022). Heath continues to state that a Blue Zone principle is their consumption of a plant-based diet, which has “positive improvements on overall mental health and wellbeing, reducing depressive symptoms” (Heath et al. 2022). Other communities outside of Blue Zones can improve their mental well-being as well, by following Blue Zone practices. The “Blue Zones Project” article by Texas Health Resources, highlights the impact that the Blue Zone lifestyle can have on the mental health of communities worldwide. By engaging the community of Fort Worth, Texas in activities that fostered movement, stress reduction, purpose, mindful eating, and social connections, Fort Worth’s equivalent rank for overall well-being went from 185th in 2014 to 31st place in 2018 (“Blue Zones Project”). The city's marked improvement in its overall well-being rank shows the ability to spread the Blue Zone way of life outside of the original Blue Zones to improve mental health worldwide (“Blue Zones Project”). By implementing Blue Zone practices that benefit mental health such as following a plant-based diet and following Blue Zone lifestyles such as reducing stress, the rest of the world may experience major improvements in mental health.

The religious practices and social connectedness followed by Blue Zone residents may be another factor contributing to their improved health. Buettner states that “People in Blue Zones tend to belong to a faith-based community. Individuals of faith who regularly attend a faith-based service live 4 to 14 years longer than their counterparts who do not” (Buettner 2015). Blue Zone inhabitants value religious participation, which provides a consistent source of community and support. A study conducted by Professor Stephani Hatch at King's College London found that regular church attendance led to lower stress levels and potential longevity benefits (Hatch 2005). The Blue Zones website discusses the residents of Loma Linda, California, the only Blue Zone in the United States, who follow the Seventh-day Adventist Christian Sect. In keeping with their religion, they pray regularly, follow a vegetarian diet, and do not smoke or drink alcohol. These practices allow them to live as much as a decade longer than the average person (Buettner 2008). Additionally, Blue Zone elders feel a sense of importance and purpose. In Buettner’s Ted Talk on “How to Live to Be 100+,” Buettner states that treating elders with respect has been shown to add four to six years of extra life expectancy (Buettner 2016). However, elders do not seem to be treated with as great respect in Western society. The book, Positive Ageing and Learning From Centenarians Living Longer and Better, by Michel Poulain and Jolanta Mackowicz, states that “Western societies tend to count out the elderly as soon as they become dependent. No longer useful for the society, they are often placed into nursing homes… waiting for death” (Poulain 2021). In contrast, Blue Zone elders are greatly respected and play an important role in their communities (Poulain 2021). Western Society can learn from Blue Zones to treat their elders with utmost respect, instead of treating them as if they are not important.

In conclusion, the Blue Zones offer powerful clues about factors that can lead to improvements in health and longevity. When implemented in other parts of the world, similar to the Fort Worth Texas implementation, adopting habits found in Blue Zones can improve society's physical and mental health. This can lead to greater fulfillment and more robust health well into old age. Plant-based diets and access to routine moderate exercise or walking on hilly terrain have been proven to contribute to the health of Blue Zone residents. Religion, spiritual well-being, and a profound purpose in life are also lifestyle features of Blue Zones that are known to sustain mental health. Perhaps one of the most dramatic examples of the positive impact of Blue Zone living is the story of Stamatis Moraitis, who was given nine months to live in 1976 following a cancer diagnosis. In an attempt to improve his health, he decided to leave the U.S. and move back to his native island, Ikaria, which is a Blue Zone, where he was able to live for another 40 years, to the age of 102 (Harker 2022). The longevity and quality of life of Blue Zone residents serve as powerful examples of the positive effects that a healthy lifestyle can have on one’s physical, mental, and social well-being. If implemented more broadly, adopting habits found in Blue Zones would likely have a positive impact on communities worldwide.

Works Cited

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