Blue zones are regions where, according to researchers' observations, there is an unusually high share of people living to 90–100 years. The term was coined in the 2000s by journalist Dan Buettner together with the demographers Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain, who circled such areas in blue marker on a map. The concept links longevity to lifestyle rather than to genes alone.
Five regions
The classic list includes five territories: Okinawa (Japan), the mountainous Barbagia of Sardinia (Italy), the Nicoya Peninsula (Costa Rica), the island of Ikaria (Greece) and the Seventh-day Adventist community in Loma Linda (California, USA). What unites them is not wealth or high-tech medicine, but a similar pattern of everyday life.
Shared habits ("Power 9")
Buettner distilled the recurring traits into nine points — the "Power 9": natural movement throughout the day; a sense of purpose; stress-reduction practices; the 80% rule (eating until lightly full, "hara hachi bu"); a predominantly plant-based diet with an emphasis on legumes; moderate wine among close ones; belonging to a community (often religious); putting family first; and surroundings that support healthy habits. Much of this echoes the Mediterranean diet.
What the science says
It is important to be honest: the link between lifestyle and longevity in the blue zones is observational (correlational), not proven cause and effect. A 2024 review points to a lack of rigorous scientific data confirming the influence of the "community" pattern specifically on lifespan. Some age records are called into question: on Okinawa the records were partly lost in 1945, and its longevity in the 21st century has noticeably declined; on Nicoya, no exceptional longevity was found in those born after 1930.
What is worth taking into practice
Even with the debatable "magic" of the zones themselves, individual habits reliably support health and healthspan: a plant-oriented diet (close to the DASH diet), daily everyday activity, strong social ties, a sense of purpose and moderation in eating. These elements are beneficial regardless of how accurate the data on specific regions are.
Calculate using this marker
Calculators where Blue Zones is used directly:
Frequently asked questions
How many blue zones are there in total?
Usually five are named: Okinawa, Sardinia, Ikaria, Nicoya and Loma Linda. Loma Linda was measured by a different methodology, and new candidates were later proposed (for example, Martinique in 2019). This is not an official closed list.
Is it proven that the blue-zone lifestyle prolongs life?
There is no direct proof: the observations are correlational, and some of the age data is disputed. But the habits themselves — a plant-based diet, movement, social ties — are independently good for health.