User:Cassiebisson/Blue Zone

= Blue Zones = Blue Zones are regions of the world thought to have a higher than usual number of people live much longer than average, identified by Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain(CITE-2004). Five "Blue Zones" have been posited: Okinawa (Japan); Sardinia (Italy); Nicoya (Costa Rica); Icaria (Greece); and Loma Linda (United States).

History
The concept of Blue Zones grew out of demographic work done by Gianni Pes and Michel Poulain, published in 2004 by the journal Experimental Gerontology, who identified Sardinia's Nuoro province as the region with the highest concentration of male centenarians. As the two men zeroed in on the cluster of villages with the highest longevity, they began referring to the area as the "Blue Zone". Through continued research, the following four areas were identified as Blue Zones (Cite NAT GEO).

Loma Linda, United States was later added to this list, as the fifth Blue Zone. UNSURE OF WHEN
 * Sardinia, Italy (particularly Ogliastra, Barbagia of Ollolai, and Barbagia of Seulo): A village called Seulo, located in the Barbagia of Seulo, holds the record of 20 centenarians from 1996 to 2016, that confirms it is "the place where people live the longest in the world".
 * The islands of Okinawa, Japan
 * Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica
 * Icaria, Greece

In 1998, a study carried out on the eating habits of the population of Yuzurihara, where the inhabitants grew very old with the best quality of life. Another research group of the University of California, in collaboration with the University of Rome La Sapienza, is investigating temporal Blue Zones in Italy outside of Sardinia.

Blue Zones Project
Author Dan Buettner has further developed this idea of Blue Zones. Buettner has worked to discover the areas of the world where people live the longest, healthiest lives. Blue Zones, LLC. has trademarked the term "Blue Zones". Blue Zones, LLC. has started the Blue Zones Project, which is dedicated to applying the practices of these "Blue Zones" to produce communities of people who live longer, healthier lives. The Blue Zones Project has worked to transform 42 different communities.This is accomplished by focusing on nine characteristics that were found at each of the original "Blue Zones". These characteristics are known as the "Power 9". These nine shared characteristics are listed below:


 * 1) Move Naturally
 * 2) Purpose
 * 3) Down Shift
 * 4) 80% Rule
 * 5) Plant Slant
 * 6) Wine @ 5
 * 7) Belong
 * 8) Loved Ones First
 * 9) Right Tribe

Criticism
A study of claimed longevity in Okinawa was unable to verify whether or not people there were as old as they claimed because many records did not survive WWII. More recent data has shown that life expectancy in Okinawa is no longer exceptional when compared to the rest of Japan: "male longevity is now ranked 26th among the 47 prefectures of Japan."Harriet Hall writing for Science-Based Medicine has written that controlled studies into the Blue Zones are lacking and the Blue Zones diet is based on speculation not solid science.