Lessons Learned From Blue Zones, Lifestyle Medicine Pillars and Beyond: An Update on the Contributions of Behavior and Genetics to Wellbeing and Longevity

Abstract

Blue Zones are regions of the world that have a higher number of individuals who live longer than the expected average. The current paper revisits principles previously identified to be common in Blue Zones and to be contributing to longevity (move naturally, eat wisely, improve resilience to stress, get adequate sleep, keep strong family ties, stimulate strong community support, respect for the planet and having a purpose in life'), compares these to the 6 pillars of Lifestyle Medicine (healthy eating, exercising, avoidance of smoking and other risky substances, stress management, restorative sleep, and forming and maintaining relationships) and reviews new studies investigating the association between behavioral factors and longevity. In addition to the role of behavior, the review also discusses the important role of genetics and emphasizes the importance of conducting further research to understand how behavioral and genetic factors may affect molecular pathways with consequent effects on wellbeing and longevity.

Keywords: Blue Zones; genetics; lifestyle medicine; longevity; wellbeing.

Figure 1.

Lessons learned from the Blue Zones, the 6 Lifestyle Medicine Pillars and recent results from the literature support the association between healthy eating, physical activity, avoidance of risky substances, stress management and maintenance of good mental health, restorative sleep and positive family and social connections and wellbeing and longevity. Future studies should assess the combined effects of behavioral and genetic factors on molecular pathways to understand their contribution to longevity.