In communities all around the world, people are living (and thriving) well into their golden years. These prospering societies aren’t safeguarding secret fountains of youth — but they do share some common elixirs.
In places where longevity reigns, locals tend to eat balanced, mostly plant-based diets; partake in daily low-impact activities; focus on family and spirituality; and carve out plenty of time to enjoy the simple things in life, like napping. Believe it or not, a healthy love of wine is also prevalent, as is sunny weather.
Using findings from the World Economic Forum Global Competitiveness Report, the CIA World Factbook and the Blue Zones project, we’ve rounded up some of the countries where people have the highest life expectancy. In all of these destinations, citizens surpass 75 years of age on average (compared to the global average of 71). Most also have high concentrations of centenarians, those who live to be 100 and older.
If you want to travel somewhere where the people are happy, the culinary scene is health-focused, the weather is temperate and outdoor recreation rules, these are all excellent places to consider. You may walk away feeling like you’ve sipped from the fountain of youth yourself.
Bottom Line: Italy
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Today, 24 out of every 100,000 Sardinians are above the age of 100. Ovodda, one rural town on the island, has a population of 1,700 people, five of whom have surpassed 100 years in age.
What’s to account for these impressive numbers? Access to farm-fresh fruits, vegetables and other produce is commonplace. Even the cheese and milk Sardinians love to consume come from a healthy source: grass-fed goats.
And yes, a love of wine also helps. The Blue Zone project lists “Wine at 5” as one of the key indicators of a long life. “Moderate drinkers outlive non-drinkers,” experts note. “The trick is to drink 1-2 glasses per day (preferably Sardinian Cannonau wine), with friends and/or with food.”
The majority of Sardinian centenarians are men who work as shepherds and farmers, and they tend to spend ample time walking and sharing camaraderie with their companions.
