'Blue zones': sport for a longer life?

A 'blue zone' is a limited geographical area which is remarkable (especially from a scientific perspective) because of the longevity of its population. The people who live in these blue zones have some things in common, such as their standards of living and environment. (More on that a little later).

First published in 2004, this concept was developed in the early 2000s.
There are now five blue zones around the world: Okinawa in Japan, Sardinia in Italy, Nicoya in Costa Rica, Icaria in Greece and, the most recent, Martinique.

It was more than 20 years ago, as part of his work as a demographer, that Michel Poulain was working on confirming the ages of the world's oldest people: “We wanted to be sure that the ages they claimed were accurate”.
It was in this context, in 1999, when verifying the ages of elderly Sardinians with some colleagues, that he noticed that the longevity of people in one specific region of Sardinia was remarkably high. He grabbed a map to bring together all his details, drew a (blue) line and discovered the existence of a specific area, which he dubbed the 'blue zone'. Why blue zone? “Simply because blue is my favourite colour”, explains Michel Poulain with a smile.  

Several years of research then followed, leading to the discovery of the different zones I mentioned above.

A little later, by attempting to cross-reference the similarities between the various population groups, demographers highlighted seven key principles associated with their lifestyle.

Anyway, before we explore them, remember that there is no magic formula or any concrete conclusions for improving our longevity. However, some tips for improving everyday life and physical and mental health are always handy!

Good question! What are we actually on about here?
Longevity “means living longer and well, in good health”, explains Michel Poulain. Nevertheless, he accepts that everyone has their own personal definition. “Living well is a source of debate. But we all have our own opinion, right?

Let's go back to longevity: is it increasing?  Well, not really, according to Michel Poulain: “Nowadays, we no longer report the age of the world's oldest person”. He then adds: “This is a good thing, in my view”. Indeed, Michel believes that, rather than desperately seeking to increase our life expectancy, we should be trying to “improve the living conditions of elderly people so that growing old well and happily becomes the priority”. Fantastic project, right?

Oh, sport! We haven't forgotten. And finally sport. Yes and no, since the inhabitants of blue zones advocate, above all, keeping mobile and doing regular physical activity appropriate to their age and fitness. For all of them, “movement is essential”, explains Michel Poulain. He then adds: “All of those people are very mobile, naturally and on a daily basis: not as part of extreme or formal exercise, but rather during their everyday and work activities.”
If we look at the geography of the blue zones identified, they are all very hilly regions, which obviously imposes certain constraints on those who live there: slopes, stairs…

👉 Doing sport every day, without even realising it

So, full marks for cardio, but that's not all. Generally, the inhabitants of blue zones are also people with good muscle strength, due once again to their active lifestyles: manual work, gardening, getting around on foot…

👉 10,000 steps a day: an urban legend?

So, what conclusions should we draw? According to Michel Poulain, “sport should be integrated into our daily activities. It does not necessarily need to be intense and, if possible, should be part of a shared activity with others”: a hike, team sport, treasure hunt… According to his observations, this is how we manage to strike a balance and “fall in love with sport without turning it into an obsession”. This was his final thought: “What counts is that sport should be flexible and free from any pressure or strict rules.”

➡️ Get moving? That's all well and good, but until what age?
In general, the people who live in blue zones reduce their physical activity simply by tailoring it to the gradual reduction in their physical capabilities. So, a physical activity that gets you moving is both possible and even recommended at all ages, provided you respect your body of course!

👉 What sports are recommended for seniors?

➡️ Even if we are late to the party when it comes to sport?
“In those regions, people have generally been doing a job for a long time. They have always been pretty mobile,”, Michel explains. In other words, these are people who have always done a regular physical activity. So, it's pointless then? No, no and no. It is never too late to get started! And Michel Poulain agrees: “I am convinced that it is never too late to get moving and feel good. You just need to work on your motivation”.  

👉 Motivation and sport: shall we talk about them?

In blue zones, people eat according to a principle of “simplicity”. This simply means a diet with as little processed food as possible and local produce: “90% of what they eat comes from their village or region: fruit, vegetables, but also bread, wine, meat… : everything is produced nearby”, according to Michel Poulain.
The fruit and vegetables are all produced locally and eaten according to the seasons. Meat is eaten in reasonable quantities with criteria of quality and proximity. Moreover, very few of the foodstuffs eaten by the inhabitants of blue zones come from the food industry and are thus free from preservatives, additives and flavour enhancers.  

Lastly, there is the question of quantity. In blue zones, reasonable consumption is of paramount importance. Michel Poulain has noted that “the people there are aware that we should never fill our stomach to over 80% of its capacity”. Eating when actually hungry and paying attention to your body enable better digestion, improved well-being and natural weight control.

Getting away from screens, doing activities that make you feel good - it's up to you to find what helps you destress.

In terms of sleep, people who live in blue zones respect a natural sleep rhythm: they go to bed early and get up early.

Proximity to loved ones and especially the family is vital in blue zones, which has benefits on the mental and psychological health of the local people.

Michel Poulain has observed that “generally, in these zones, the family supports and looks after elderly people. This prevents social isolation. Keeping elderly people in society is something fundamental when it comes to longevity”.

Thus, “those aged over 90 have a generally positive outlook” which is highly beneficial for everyone else. Michel Poulain confirms this: “Most centenarians I've met are positive and full of love”. Some talk of gerotranscendence in this regard. OK, I am showing off here. But it's a natural progression whereby, from a certain age, we become wiser, more mature and more positive - and it might even be contagious!

Along the same lines, the inhabitants of blue zones are very attached to indispensable values of solidarity and mutual assistance.

Respecting our environment and ecological issues are absolutely key in blue zones. Being aware of our environment and the consequences of our actions on it leads to a greater awareness of oneself and others.

Faith is paramount for centenarians, whether that means a religion, or simply faith in others or even in oneself! People who live in blue zones have a life goal and do everything they can to achieve it.

The professor is clear on this point: “Yes, there are some genetic components, but the genes we have discovered still leave much to be explained”.
In reality, “what counts is above all epigenetics, or rather the way in which our genes are (or are not) activated according to our lifestyle, behaviour, etc. It is therefore our relationship with our human and physical environment that goes more towards defining our genetic potential”. Food for thought!