The 10 countries where people live longer and what they can teach us – 02/23/2023 – Equilibrium

Lucile Randon was the oldest person in the world (of whom there was a clear record) when she died in January at the age of 118.

Known as Sister André, the French nun witnessed two world wars, the arrival of humanity on the Moon and the digital age.

Her case remains an exception, given that the average life expectancy in the world is 73.4 years.

However, with each passing day people are living longer, and average longevity should exceed 77 years by the middle of this century, according to projections by the United Nations (UN).

As life expectancy increases, the birth rate decreases, which makes us an increasingly aging population.

The world already has more people over the age of 65 than people under the age of five, although the situation varies greatly from one country to another.

While in Monaco life expectancy is 87 years, in the Republic of Chad, in Central Africa, it is only 53.

After Monaco, the Chinese special administrative regions of Hong Kong and Macau appear in the life expectancy ranking, while the fourth place is occupied by Japan, which is the longest-lived country among the world powers.

The list is followed by Liechtenstein, Switzerland, Singapore, Italy, South Korea and Spain, according to the UN’s World Population Prospects report.

With the exception of periods of pandemics and world wars, life expectancy has increased steadily globally over the past 200 years, thanks to the development of vaccines and antibiotics, medicines, sanitation, food and better living conditions.

‘Smart decisions’

Although genetics is one of the most determining factors, greater longevity is also usually associated with the living conditions of the place where the person was born and their decisions as an individual.

It’s not just about accessing better healthcare and eating better, but also about what experts call “smart decisions” in terms of having a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, managing stress levels and getting exercise.

The countries that are part of the ranking with the highest life expectancy have something in common: a high level of income. But there is something else that unites them: the size.

Patrick Gerland, head of the United Nations’ population estimates and projections department, warns that the list includes countries like Monaco or Liechtenstein that, because they are so small, do not represent a population as diverse as that of other nations.

“They look like exceptional countries, but in fact they are a kind of artificial population. It is not a random combination of people like in other parts of the world.”

“What they share is a high standard of living, access to good health services and education, but it’s not a random selection,” says Gerland in conversation with BBC News Mundo, the BBC’s Spanish-language service.

Differences can be observed between countries and also within the same country.

Where there is more inequality, the difference in life expectancy between social groups increases.

“Many Scandinavian countries, for example, are more egalitarian societies with a higher life expectancy”, he adds.

The blue zones or ‘longevity paradises’

So-called “blue zones” are very small populations in which people live much longer than the rest.

A few decades ago, the demographer Michel Poulain and the gerontologist Gianni Pes dedicated themselves to researching where in the world the elderly lived.

They drew circles on a map with a blue marker in villages or towns where people reached 100 years of age.

That’s how they realized that one of the parts of the map dyed in blue was the region of Barbagia, on the Italian island of Sardinia, and they ended up calling it the “blue zone”.

Since then, the nomenclature has been associated with places where the inhabitants enjoy an extraordinary longevity in good living conditions.

Based on this study, journalist Dan Buettner assembled a team of specialists to look for other communities where the same phenomenon was reproduced.

As a result, they discovered that, in addition to Sardinia, there were four other blue zones: the island of Okinawa, Japan; the Nicoya Peninsula in Costa Rica; the island of Icaria, in Greece; and the Loma Linda Adventist community in California.

There is no doubt that a privileged genetics is essential to live longer, preserving most of the physical and mental faculties.

But the group of scientists (made up of physicians, anthropologists, demographers, nutritionists and epidemiologists) wondered what other aspects were influencing the blue zones. And they traveled to different parts of the world.

A few years later, in 2008, Buettner published the book The Blue Zones, and from that moment on he dedicated himself to developing this concept.

However, not everyone agrees with the author’s considerations, as they understand that many of his statements are based on observations, and not on long-range scientific studies.

What do blue zones have in common?

Buettner and his team found some common patterns in the studied communities that could theoretically explain why these populations have a greater longevity and better quality of life than the rest of the world. Among them are:

• They have a purpose in life: a ikigaiJapanese word used to refer to the “reasons for being” or more precisely, the reasons why we get out of bed every morning;
• Cultivate family ties;
• They reduce stress by interrupting the normal rhythm of routine to make way for other activities that are part of common social habits. For example, taking a siesta (that nap after lunch) in Mediterranean societies, praying in the case of Adventists or participating in the tea ceremony for women in Okinawa;
• They eat without reaching satiety;
• Adopt a balanced diet that includes lots of vegetables, greens and fruits;
• Consume alcohol moderately;
• Practice physical exercise regularly as part of daily activities – walks, for example;
• They have a strong sense of community and participate in social circles that promote healthy behaviors.
• Are part of groups that cultivate faith or religion;

All this within a context that includes, among other things, a friendly climate, prolific nature, affordable healthy and tasty food, community life away from large urban centers.

Although to be part of a blue zone it is necessary to have been born in it and be an active member of that community, it is possible that some of these recurring patterns may be useful for anyone interested in living longer and better.

do not live alone

In addition to economic restrictions and your genetic map, some of the key points that are given less attention, according to experts, is the way you relate to other people and find purpose in life.

This, although it may seem simple, is one of the great challenges for anyone interested in having a better quality of life for longer.

Experts like Luigi Ferrucci, scientific director of the National Institute on Aging in the US, say that healthy seniors tend to be those who are physically active, spend time outdoors and have strong connections with friends and family.

Where experts can’t agree is how much a person’s genetics and lifestyle influence longevity.

Some research suggests that genetics accounts for about 25% of longevity, while the rest is related to factors such as where you live, what you eat, how often you exercise, and your support network through friends or family.

However, the weight of the genetic lottery on a longer and healthier life is still a matter of debate in the scientific community.