Around the world, there are areas known as blue zones, areas where there are relatively more hundreds of years old than in other places. Okinawa in Japan is one such place, Sardinia in Italy another and Ikaria in Greece another place.

There are such zones in Sweden as well. Especially in southern Sweden, where Småland municipalities together with municipalities in Halland and northern Skåne stand out with a high proportion of centenarians compared to other municipalities.

Lifestyle and genetic factors determine

It is still largely unclear what makes people so old in the blue zones, but there are different theories for it.

The paper "Research and Progress" writes in an article that the explanation that some islands are so-called blue zones can be partly explained by genetic factors and that people living on islands have had easier to maintain a lifestyle that gives a longer life. Diet, stress and general living conditions are some of the factors that can also contribute.

According to author Dan Buettner, there are some common denominators that explain the longer life in the blue zones: family, fewer smokers, vegetarianism, moderate physical activity, that people are integrated into society, and many legumes as food.

But how are you living? On the map you see if your municipality is a so-called blue zone.