Blue Zones

A number of geographical areas have been identified in the world where the proportion of age–validated oldest old, is significantly greater compared with the surrounding regions. They have been termed Blue Zone (BZ) owing to the color used to outline them in the maps of the regions to whom they belong. They are isolated o nearly–isolated population pockets sharing homogeneous genetic background, traditional lifestyle and dietary habits. Up to now, four regions fulfill the criteria to claim a Blue Zone status. They are located in Okinawa, Sardinia, Costa Rica, and Greece. Over the years, the Blue Zones concept has been increasingly accepted by the scientific community and they are no longer considered an anthropological curiosity but an effective model of healthy aging that might be transferred, at least in part, to the post–industrial societies of the 20th century, to face the challenge of aging societies and the rise of healthcare costs.