In a remote corner of Italy, men are almost as likely as women to reach 100. Scientists say the cause isn’t as simple as diet or exercise | World News
In the rugged mountain villages of east-central Sardinia, growing old is almost a way of life. However, it’s not just the number of people reaching 100 that has fascinated scientists for decades, but the fact that men reach 100 almost as often as women. In most developed countries, women far outnumber men among centenarians, but Sardinia’s mountainous interior defies this pattern. The discovery turned the island into one of the world’s first “blue zones” and inspired years of scientific research. While many attribute the phenomenon to a healthy diet or a strong sense of purpose, researchers say the real explanation lies in a combination of broader biology, lifestyle, environment and culture.
Why men in remote areas of Italy have almost as good a chance of living to 100 as women
The villages dotted in the mountains of Nuoro and Ogliastra in east-central Sardinia have one of the most unusual longevity patterns in the world. Although women generally live longer than men almost everywhere else, in this part of Italy the gap has all but disappeared.This phenomenon was first documented in the AKEA study, published in 2004 in the journal Experimental Gerontology by physician Gianni Pes, Belgian demographer Michel Poulain, and colleagues. After examining records from all 377 municipalities in Sardinia, researchers found that people with unusually long lives were concentrated in the mountainous interior rather than evenly distributed across the island.In this cluster, approximately 91 people born between 1880 and 1900 lived to be 100 years old, a number approximately three times higher than the average expected in Sardinia. It was the concentration of centenarians that prompted researchers to mark the area in blue ink on maps, giving rise to the now-famous term “blue zone.”
The numbers that make Sardinia famous
Sardinia’s reputation is built on more than just anecdotal stories.In much of Europe and North America, female centenarians outnumber male centenarians by about five to one. However, in Sardinia’s blue zone, men and women reach 100 at almost the same rate, making it one of the few places where men’s lifespans have been recorded to be close to women’s.The researchers also found that there were about 16.6 centenarians per 100,000 people in Sardinia as a whole, compared with about 10 centenarians per 100,000 people in Europe as a whole at the time of the study. While these numbers have changed over time, they highlight the unusual demographics of the island.Importantly, this does not mean that men in Sardinia are five times more likely to live to 100 than men elsewhere. Instead, it means that the typical gender gap among centenarians is much smaller.
Is the secret really about purpose and not diet?
One of the most widely accepted explanations is that older Sardinians will never “become irrelevant”. Many people continue to farm, herd sheep, help raise grandchildren, repair homes or participate in rural life well into their 80s and 90s. Their social roles rarely disappear as they age.The idea was popularized globally by journalist Dan Buettner, whose Blue Zones books and documentaries highlighted communities where people stay physically active and socially connected throughout their lives.However, the original Sardinian researchers were much more cautious. Their study did not conclude that purpose alone could explain the extraordinary longevity. Instead, they argue that no single factor can explain this pattern.
Lifelong physical activity appears to be one of the biggest factors
Many of Sardinia’s oldest men have been shepherds for decades, often walking several kilometers a day across steep mountainous terrain.Unlike modern exercise habits, this activity is ongoing and integrated into daily life. Researchers believe that decades of moderate physical exertion can help maintain cardiovascular health, muscle strength and metabolic health into old age.A study published in 2022 in Frontiers in Aging once again pointed to occupational activities and physically demanding lifestyles as the main reasons, especially among men living in the mountainous interior of Sardinia.Scientists say this may explain why the lifespan of men on the island is so significantly different from that of men elsewhere.
Genetics and geography are also important
Lifestyle alone does not seem to explain Sardinia’s longevity.Mountain communities have remained relatively isolated for centuries, allowing certain genetic traits to become more common among local populations. Researchers believe these genetic traits may influence how people age and their resistance to age-related diseases.The island’s location may also have played a role. Until recent decades, many villages remained inaccessible and retained traditional lifestyles, diets, and social structures that changed much more slowly than in urban areas.As a result, scientists believe Sardinia’s longevity is the result of an interaction between genetics and the environment, rather than one overarching cause.
Sardinian traditional lifestyle
The researchers also studied the daily habits of the island’s oldest inhabitants.A traditional diet typically includes whole grains, legumes, seasonal vegetables, olive oil, goat and sheep milk products, and moderate amounts of locally produced red wine. Eating meals, usually with family members, strengthens strong social bonds that many psychologists believe contribute to mental health.Equally important is the culture of a tight-knit community. Older adults continue to participate in family decision-making, community celebrations, and religious traditions, maintaining social integration rather than isolation in retirement.Scientists increasingly believe that the combination of a healthy diet, regular exercise and strong social bonds work together, not independently.
Does having goals really help people live longer?
Scientific research suggests this may be the case, but the evidence is more nuanced than many headlines suggest.A 2009 study led by researcher Patricia Boyle found that older adults with a stronger sense of purpose were less likely to die during the study period and had a lower risk of cognitive decline.Another study published in JAMA Network Open in 2019 involving nearly 7,000 Americans over the age of 50 also reported that people with greater life goals tend to live longer.However, these studies demonstrate an association rather than evidence of causation. Researchers can’t tell whether the goals themselves lead to longer lifespans, or whether healthier people naturally engage more actively in life.Interestingly, another study by psychologists Patrick Hill and Nicholas Turiano found that the relationship between purpose and longevity remained strong even after retirement, suggesting that retirement itself is not harmful if people continue to find meaning in their daily lives.
Not everyone agrees with the Blue Zones story
While Sardinia remains one of the world’s best-known longevity hotspots, some scientists question the reliability of extreme age records.Demographer Saul Justin Newman believes missing birth certificates, incomplete death registrations and historical record-keeping errors may have inflated the number of verified centenarians in several blue zones around the world. He believes some specific age records require closer scrutiny.Many longevity researchers disagree with his broader conclusions but acknowledge that validating extreme ages is crucial. So scientists are conducting new studies using modern demographic methods while continuing to review historical records.
The search for secrets continues
After more than two decades of research, scientists have reached an important conclusion: there is no single “secret” behind Sardinia’s extraordinary longevity.Rather, exceptional longevity appears to be the result of an interplay of factors, including genetics, lifelong physical activity, traditional diet, strong family relationships, active participation in community life, and the island’s unique geography.For researchers studying healthy aging, Sardinia remains one of the world’s most valuable natural laboratories. Its mountain villages continue to provide important clues about how biology, lifestyle and social connections work together to help people live not just longer, but healthier lives.
