In one tiny mountain village, the rate of residents living past 100 is about 11 times the American average.
asserted
rate → live → 100
We’ve heard about Okinawa in Japan, Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica and Ikaria in Greece as being hot spots of longevity, nicknamed Blue Zones.
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We → hear → longevity
Experts credit wholesome diets, active lifestyles and healthy social lives as factors in why people live so long in these places.
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people → credit → places
Now, we’re learning about an entirely new Blue Zone in a previously overlooked location.
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we → learn → location
And while longevity is declining in traditional Blue Zones, new data shows that this small mountain town is seeing an increase in long-lived residents, especially women.
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town → decline → residents
A region of Sardinia called Ogliastra was previously identified as a Blue Zone, though like most other Blue Zones, it’s on the coast with direct access to the water.
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it → call → water
Bolotana sits outside this region, to the west.
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Bolotana → sit → west
Researchers traveled to Bolotana and were surprised to find 10 of the 2,262 people living there were at least 100 years old — a concentration of centenarians about 10 times the Sardinian average and 11 times the US average.
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10 → travel → centenarians
Women of Bolotana had an even more pronounced advantage.
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Women → have → advantage
On average, data shows the women who reach age 70 live to be about 91, while roughly 1 in seven women who reached age 70 would live to 100.
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who → show → 100
In fact, the numbers were even higher than a number of international populations studied earlier this year.
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numbers → study → populations
Compared to numbers in that study, Bolotana’s women were second only to Hong Kong for life expectancy after 70 and survival to 100.
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women → compare → 100
Men also had a slightly higher life expectancy compared to the Sardinian and Italian average, but it was much less pronounced than women.
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it → have → women
At 70, they could expect to live to 86.
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they → expect → 86
Roughly one in 20 men who reach 70 would live to 100.
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who → reach → 100
Why do Bolotana’s residents live longer?
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residents → live → ?
“What stands out to me is how well these women are surviving into their later years,” Dr. Carrie Carda, National Medical Director of 10X Health System told The Post.
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Carda → stand → Post
“It points us toward looking at the whole person — their biology, daily habits, relationships and environment.”
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It → point → person
While researchers make it very clear they don’t know exactly why Bolotana’s residents are living longer, they point to a few possible factors: genetic background, dietary patterns, physical activity, family support, social cohesion, continuity of residence and access to care.
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they → make → care
According to National Geographic, the town currently lacks fast food, and its residents eat a 90 percent plant-based diet full of beans, pasta, and garden-grown food.
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residents → accord → beans
“Olives, and olive oil, are also key to the regional cuisine,” the magazine reported.
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magazine → report → cuisine
There’s also no gym in the town yet, but because of the hilly terrain, residents apparently get their cardio in without thinking about it.
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residents → ’ → it
“My practical takeaway is that healthy routines need to fit into everyday life,” Carda said.
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Carda → need → life
“Making time for movement and meaningful relationships is a message I would emphasize to the public.”
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I → make → public
Others point to Bolotana’s “outsized reverence for family, strong faith traditions, [and] modest wine consumption” as other contributing factors.
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Others → point → factors
“As with all recognized Blue Zones throughout the world, the evidence for longer lives in Bolotana is compelling,” Carda said.
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Carda → recognize → Bolotana
“But more than observation, we still need a deeper understanding as to why—and which factors are helping people live longer.”
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people → need → why
The Aporia
