Health

Secrets of longevity from the world's 'blue zones'

Published

10 months ago

March 17, 2025

Secrets of longevity from the world's 'blue zones'

The average life expectancy in the U.S. is just over 78 years — but in certain countries and regions, more people make it past 100, seemingly without even trying.

What are the secrets of these pockets of the world — known as “blue zones” — where residents have not only more longevity, but more healthy years?

Dan Buettner, a Florida-based author, explorer and longevity researcher who first coined the term “blue zone,” embarked on a mission to find out.

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“Only about 20% of how long you live is dictated by your genes,” he told Fox News Digital during an on-camera interview.

“The other 80%, we reason we might find among the longest-living populations.” (See the video at the top of this article.)

Dan Buettner, a Florida-based author, explorer and longevity researcher who first coined the term “blue zone,” embarked on a mission to find the secrets of longer-living areas. (Fox News)

For the recent Netflix documentary “Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones,” Buettner visited five destinations — Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Ikaria, Greece; Nicoya, Costa Rica; and Loma Linda, California — to discover why these areas have the highest rates of living centenarians.

“We verified ages and found that in these areas, people were living about 10 years longer at middle age,” he said.

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“It’s because they’re not suffering from the diseases that are plaguing us, like type 2 diabetes. They’re not dying of cardiovascular disease prematurely, or dementia, and they have 40% lower rates of cancer.”

Buettner and his team of demographers and researchers investigated the lifestyle and environmental characteristics in these five areas to determine what people may be doing differently.

‘Healthy choice is easy’

“The big insight we learned from blue zones is that in places where people are actually living longer, it’s not because they try,” Buettner said.

“In America, we tend to pursue health. We try to identify the right diet or exercise program or supplement regimen — but our brains are hardwired for novelty.”

Studies have shown that people who wake up and have a sense of purpose, whether it’s a duty, a passion or an outlet, have greater health outcomes. (iStock)

“We’re constantly bombarded and bamboozled by new health news and people — and in blue zones, they never tried to live a long time.”

The reason for this longevity, according to Buettner, is that they live in environments where the healthy choice is easy.

Nutrition and exercise

One of the characteristics most blue zones share is their walkability, as people walk to work, school, friends’ homes or gardens.

“They’re getting 8,000 to 10,000 steps a day without thinking about it,” Buettner said.

Also, the cheapest and most convenient foods in blue zones are unprocessed.

“The big insight we learned from blue zones is that in places where people are actually living longer, it’s not because they try.”

“People in blue zones also eat healthier, as they consume primarily whole, unprocessed, plant-based foods,” Buettner noted.

The average American eats about 220 pounds of meat a year, which he believes is “too much.”

“I’m not advocating a no-meat diet, but I will tell you, people in blue zones eat about 20 pounds of meat a year, so about once a week as a celebratory food — and they are getting all the nutrients they need.”

One of the characteristics most blue zones share is their walkability, as people walk to work, school, friends’ homes or gardens. (iStock)

People also eat far more fiber in these areas, Buettner found.

“In blue zones, the cheapest and most accessible foods were full fiber,” he said. “They pull them out of their garden … whole grains or beans are the cornerstone of every longevity diet in the world.”

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Fiber is often neglected in the American diet, Buettner said, with only about 5% to 10% of Americans getting enough.

“If you don’t get enough fiber, it often goes to work at the mucous membrane and creates a certain permeability or leaky gut, and that causes all kinds of problems,” he warned.

Passion and purpose

Studies have shown that people who wake up and have a sense of purpose, whether it’s a duty, a passion or an outlet, have greater health outcomes.

“The blue zone purpose almost always includes an altruistic dimension,” Buettner shared.

“There’s almost always doing it for the next generation, or for the community or their church. There’s always some philanthropic dimension to their purpose.”

Power of community

“In blue zones, we see very clearly that people are connecting face to face, probably five to six hours a day,” Buettner said.

People in these areas often live in extended families.

“People in blue zones eat healthier, as they consume primarily whole, unprocessed, plant-based foods.” (iStock)

“Grandma never gets lonely, because she lives upstairs and helps with the garden,” Buettner shared as an example. “She helps cook food and she helps with childcare. And the kids do better because they’re getting better attention. And it’s this virtuous circle.”

In blue zones, people typically live in communities where they care about each other, he added.

“They’re not spending nearly as many stress hormones arguing about things — and there’s more time for laughter when you’re not angry.”

Faith factor

Data shows that people who regularly go to church live anywhere from four to 14 years longer than people who don’t, Buettner noted.

“You can’t measure faith, but you can measure religiosity,” he said. “Scientists simply ask people how often they show up at church, temple or mosque, and then they compare the longevity of the people who show up to those who don’t show up at all.”

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Part of this likely stems from the fact that churchgoers have a built-in community, he said, as loneliness has proven to be “toxic.”

“Religious people are also less likely to get involved in risky behaviors, and they often have a sense of purpose, which is their faith in God,” Buettner added.

Data shows that people who regularly go to church live anywhere from four to 14 years longer than people who don’t, Buettner noted. (iStock)

Those who worship on Sunday may also benefit from having one day a week where they “stop everything.”

“Being human is inherently stressful, and church gives us an hour or maybe a couple of hours where we fully take the focus off of our everyday life and troubles, and we get to sort of elevate to a higher plane and focus on a greater good,” Buettner said.

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The act of prayer itself could also “stack the deck” in favor of longevity and health, he added.

“By the way, people who sing in the choir actually even live longer,” Beuttner said. “So if you want a little extra bump, join the church and sing in the choir.”

Sleep’s role in health

In his visits to blue zones, Buettner found that the residents are usually early to bed, early to rise.

“They have kind of two sleeps, where they’ll go to bed shortly after sunset, and then get up at 3 or 4 a.m. and do some chores, and then go back to sleep until sunrise,” he told Fox News Digital.

Napping is also very common throughout all blue zones.

“And some good research shows that people who take a 20-minute nap five days a week have significantly lower rates of cardiovascular disease and about 30% lower rates of cardiovascular mortality,” Buettner said. “So napping is definitely part of the blue zone approach to longevity.”

“Blue zones give us a very clear set of choices and environmental factors that would help us mindlessly get the years we deserve.”

Overall, he concluded, anyone can benefit from the lessons learned from the blue zones — primarily the importance of keeping people healthy in the first place.

“It’s about shaping their environment so that healthier choices are easier or unavoidable and setting them up for success, so they’re subconsciously making better decisions on a day-to-day basis for years or decades,” Buettner said.

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“Blue zones give us a very clear set of choices and environmental factors that would help us mindlessly get the years we deserve.”

“That’s what works in all the blue zones, and it will indisputably work for you — whether you live in Akron, Ohio, or New York City or Los Angeles.”

Melissa Rudy is senior health editor and a member of the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to melissa.rudy@fox.com.

Health

‘Weight Loss Has Never Been About Calories’: How This Low-Insulin Diet Helped Lillie, 58, Drop 70 Lbs!

Published

1 hour ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

‘Weight Loss Has Never Been About Calories’: How This Low-Insulin Diet Helped Lillie, 58, Drop 70 Lbs!

Low-Insulin Diet Helped Lillie, 58, Drop 70 Lbs, No Calorie Counting! | Woman’s World

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Health

Weight-loss experts predict 5 major treatment changes likely to emerge in 2026

Published

2 hours ago

January 9, 2026

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Weight-loss experts predict 5 major treatment changes likely to emerge in 2026

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Big moves are continuing in the weight loss landscape in the new year following breakthrough research of GLP-1 medications and other methods.

Weight-loss experts spoke with Fox News Digital about their predictions for the most major changes to come in 2026.

No. 1: Shift to whole-body treatment

Dr. Peter Balazs, a hormone and weight loss specialist in New York and New Jersey, shared that the most important shift is likely to label GLP-1 drugs as “multi-system metabolic modulators” rather than “simple weight loss drugs.”

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“The treatment goal is no longer just BMI reduction, but total cardiometabolic risk mitigation, with effects now documented across the liver, heart, kidneys and vasculature,” he said.

“We are seeing a significant reduction in major adverse cardiovascular events … and progression of renal disease,” he went on.

The focus of GLP-1 drugs will widen beyond weight loss and diabetes, according to experts’ predictions. (iStock)

Philip Rabito, M.D., a specialist in endocrinology, weight loss and wellness in New York City, also shared that “exciting” advancements lie ahead for weight-loss drugs, including GLP-1s and GIPs.

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“These next‑generation agents, along with novel combinations that include glucagon and amylin agonists, are demonstrating even more impressive weight‑loss outcomes than currently available therapies, with the potential for better tolerability and sustained results,” he told Fox News Digital.

“There is also tremendous optimism around new federal agreements with manufacturers that aim to make these medications more widely accessible and affordable for the broad population of patients who need them most.”

No. 2: More convenient dosing

The typical prescription for a GLP-1 medication is a weekly injection, but delivery and dosing may be changing to more convenient methods in 2026, according to Balazs.

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A daily 25 mg pill version of Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy, a semaglutide designed to treat obesity, is now approved and available for chronic weight management, offering a non-injectable option for some patients.

A once-weekly oral GLP-1 is currently in phase 2 trials, as well as an implant that aims for three to six months of drug delivery, Balazs noted.

Incisionless weight-loss procedures will rise as a lower-risk option, according to experts. (iStock)

No. 3: Less invasive surgery

In addition to decreased risk during surgery for GLP-1 users, Balazs also predicted that metabolic surgery without incision will rise as a better option.

“Incisionless endoscopic procedures — like endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (non-surgical weight-loss procedure that makes the stomach smaller from the inside) and duodenal mucosal resurfacing (non-surgical procedure that resets part of the small intestine to help the body better handle blood sugar) — [may become] more durable and widely available,” he said.

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“These offer significant metabolic benefits with shorter recovery and lower risk than traditional surgery.”

Rabito agreed that “rapid progress” in minimally invasive weight‑loss procedures is “opening powerful new options for patients who are hesitant to pursue traditional bariatric surgery.”

Bariatric surgery remains the most effective weight loss method, one specialist says. (iStock)

This avenue offers “meaningful and durable weight reduction with less risk, shorter recovery times and no external incisions,” the expert added.

Dr. Muhammad Ghanem, bariatric surgeon at the Orlando Health Weight Loss & Bariatric Surgery Institute, reiterated that surgery remains “the most successful modality for the treatment of obesity … with the highest weight loss and most durable outcomes as of yet.”

No. 4: Younger GLP-1 users

As Novo Nordisk’s Wegovy has been indicated for adolescents over 12 years old as an obesity treatment, Balazs commented that pediatric use of weight-loss drugs is “now a clinical reality.”

He predicted that other alternatives are likely to be approved in 2026 for younger users.

No. 5: High-tech, personalized access

Amid the growth of artificial intelligence, Balazs predicted an expansion in the clinical implementation of AI-driven weight-loss methods.

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This could include categorizing obesity into sub-types like “hungry brain,” “emotional hunger” and “slow burn” to personalize how therapy is prescribed while moving away from “trial and error,” he said.

Ghanem agreed that there will likely be a “big focus” on individualized testing for causes of obesity in 2026, as it’s a disease that can have “different causes in different people,” thus requiring different treatments.

AI and other digital opportunities will drive more access for weight-loss patients, experts say. (iStock)

The doctor anticipates that more patients will seek combinations of comprehensive treatments and programs.

“Patients are more aware that now we have a few weapons in our arsenal to combat obesity, and [they] are seeking a multidisciplinary and holistic approach,” Ghanem said.

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Treatment options will also turn digital with the rise of prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs) for weight loss, Balazs predicted.

“These are software applications delivering cognitive behavioral therapy, personalized nutrition and metabolic coaching through algorithms, often integrated with continuous glucose monitors, and reimbursed as medical treatments,” he said.

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Ghanem added that body composition analyzers, like DEXA scans, will likely be more widely used as awareness grows about the limitations of BMI and weight in assessing obesity.

Angelica Stabile is a lifestyle reporter for Fox News Digital.

Health

Brain Health Challenge: Doctor Appointments for Your Mind and Body

Published

14 hours ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

Brain Health Challenge: Doctor Appointments for Your Mind and Body

Congratulations, you’ve reached the final day of the Brain Health Challenge! Today, we’re asking you to do a few things that might feel a bit out of left field — like getting your blood pressure checked.

No, it isn’t as fun as playing Pips, but experts say it’s one of the most important things you can do for your brain. That’s because heart health and brain health are intrinsically linked.

High blood pressure, in particular, can damage brain cells, and it’s a significant risk factor for stroke and dementia. When blood pressure is too high, it places stress on the walls of arteries in the brain. Over time, that added stress can cause the blood vessel walls to thicken, obstructing blood flow. In other cases, the increased pressure causes the artery walls to thin and leak blood into the brain.

These changes to the blood vessels can sometimes cause a large stroke to occur. More commonly, the damage leads to micro-strokes and micro-hemorrhages, which cause fewer immediate problems and often go unnoticed. But if someone has hypertension for years or decades, these injuries can build up, and the person may start to experience cognitive impairment.

High blood pressure “is known as a silent killer for lots of reasons,” said Dr. Shyam Prabhakaran, the chair of neurology at the University of Chicago. “It doesn’t cause you any symptoms until it does.”

Because the damage accumulates over many years, experts say that managing blood pressure in midlife matters most for brain health. Hypertension can be addressed with medication or lifestyle changes, as directed by your doctor. But the first thing you need to do is know your numbers. If your blood pressure comes back higher than 120/80, it’s important to take it seriously, Dr. Prabhakaran said.

While you’re at it, there are a few other aspects of your physical health that you should check on.

Your eyes and ears are two of them. Hearing and vision loss have both been shown to increase the risk of dementia. Experts think that with less sensory information coming in to stimulate the brain, the regions that process hearing and vision can start to atrophy. What’s more, people with sensory loss often withdraw or are left out of social interactions, further depriving them of cognitive stimulation.

Oral health can also affect your brain health. Research has found a connection between regular flossing and reduced odds of having a stroke. That may be because good oral health can help to reduce inflammation in the body. The bacteria that cause gum disease have also been tied to an increased risk of Alzheimer’s.

And have you gotten your shingles vaccine? There is mounting evidence that it’s a powerful weapon for protecting against dementia. One study found that it lowered people’s odds of developing the condition by as much as 20 percent.

To wrap up this challenge, we want you to schedule a few medical appointments that benefit your brain, as well as your body.

After five days of feeding, exercising and challenging your brain, you are well on your way to better cognitive health. Thanks for joining me this week, and keep up the good habits!