Researchers Find Another Region Where People Live Unusually Long Lives

There are a few hotspots on Earth that are linked to longer-than-average human lifespans. From the sun-soaked island of Okinawa in Japan to the rugged mountains of Ogliastra in Sardinia and the coastal landscapes of Ikaria in Greece, these regions are famous for nurturing unusually long-lived populations. Thanks to new research, scientists now claim they may have identified another one.

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Regions of freakishly long human longevity are known to some as “Blue Zones”. Advocates of the idea suggest that people living within these geographic areas tend to have lower rates of chronic diseases, longer life expectancy, and an unusually high chance of living past 100 years old.

The longevity in these supposed havens is often credited to factors like an active lifestyle, low stress, rich social interactions, and a diverse diet sourced from good-quality regional food. 

Not everyone is a fan of this idea, however. Some researchers have claimed the concept of Blue Zones rests on a shaky foundation of dodgy data and ill-founded generalizations. That said, it is ostensible that some regions foster healthier lifestyles linked with faring well in old age.

In a new study, public health experts and data scientists from Åbo Akademi University argue that Western Finland may fit the bill of a Blue Zone, particularly the Swedish-speaking region in Ostrobothnia. Here, the current life expectancy among newborns is 83.1 years, higher than the national average (81.6 years) and way ahead of the global average (73.1 years).

The researchers found that this pocket of the Nordics has similar trends of long life expectancy, good health, and a lifestyle seen in well-known Blue Zones.

"The potential link between longevity, health, and lifestyle may vary across cultural, political, social, and economic contexts in different regions. Here, we require additional demographic studies to verify the extraordinary life expectancy in Ostrobothnia, especially among the Swedish-speaking community," Sarah Åkerman, Postdoctoral Researcher in Social Policy and principal investigator of the Blue Zones in the Nordics project at Åbo Akademi University, said in a statement.

Some of this will come as no surprise to Finnophiles. The Nordic nation routinely tops global rankings of happiness, buoyed by its culture of quiet contentment, brilliant public services, emphasis on work–life balance, a strong connection to nature, and relatively low inequality. 

Finland doesn't have the best culinary reputation in the world, but the average diet is healthier than many, traditionally based around wholemeal products and plenty of cold-water fish. These same features may help explain why certain Finnish regions provide fertile ground for longer, healthier lives.

However, the picture isn’t perfectly clear yet. Within the new study, South Ostrobothnia actually had lower life expectancy than the other regions studied, as well as the poorest health, despite following the Blue Zone lifestyle to the same extent as Swedish-speaking Ostrobothnia. Additionally, the neighbouring Åland islands boast the highest life expectancy and best health, yet fail to meet the core lifestyle principles of Blue Zones.

All of this could suggest that other factors may be at play, and boost the idea that the concept of Blue Zones is oversimplistic. Nevertheless, the team is keen to find out more. Their “Blue Zones in the Nordics" project will continue until June 2026.

The new study is published in the Journal of Aging Research.