If you’ve never heard of them, Blue Zones are those magical places on Earth where people live longer and thrive well into old age. There are several of them: Okinawa, Sardinia, and Ikaria, to name a few.
These are places where people are eating plants, walking a ton, and chatting with neighbors. They live idyllic lives that stretch their lifespans just a bit longer than the rest of ours.
And now there might be a new Blue Zone in Finland. Scratch that—several Blue Zones in Finland. Wait, scratch that—several Blue Zones in Finland that might throw a monkey wrench into our understanding of why some people live longer, happier, healthier lives in certain parts of the globe.
What Are Blue Zones Anyway?
A new study published in the Journal of Aging Research examined four regions in Western Finland: Ostrobothnia (on both its Finnish- and Swedish-speaking sides), Åland, and South Ostrobothnia. The goal was to see if they could also be considered Blue Zones. Turns out, they could, but the why of it all wasn’t always consistent.
Swedish-speaking Ostrobothnia hit a lot of Blue Zone checkmarks: long life expectancy, strong health, and a lifestyle conducive to it all. But then Åland, the region with the highest life expectancy in Finland, didn’t actually live the typical Blue Zone life. Residents were less active, less community-driven.
On the flip side, South Ostrobothnia followed Blue Zone principles pretty closely, and somehow still clocked the worst health and lowest life expectancy. The same applies to Finnish-speaking Ostrobothnia, except for the lifestyle, which was ranked highly.
So, what gives? How can a region be a Blue Zone when it barely meets the criteria?
The researchers are totally sure of that, either. But they are beginning to suspect that the whole blue zone formula doesn’t neatly apply across cultures. There’s a lot more context needed, more nuance than a simple checklist.
Tons more research is needed before Finland can be considered a Blue Zone paradise. So don’t sell all of your earthly possessions and buy a plane ticket just yet. For now, stick to the Mediterranean diet and keep socializing with your neighbors to bring some of that Blue Zone magic to your area.
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