Top 5 Places with the Healthiest, Long-living Residents

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Around the globe, the average human life expectancy is 71.4 years. But in these five places, people tend to live longer and healthier lives. What's their secret?

1. Sardinia, Italy

The people in Sardinia largely embrace the plant-based diet. They also perform daily physical activities with diligence. Sardinians on average walk at least five miles a day.

Men who have daughters receive tender care as they age. The M26 marker, a genetic variant associated with extreme longevity, has been passed down from generations in this remote community.

2. Okinawa, Japan

The people of Okinawa live in small but tight social circles, allowing them to face the ups and downs of life with the support of others. This provides social support that relieves stress and strengthens healthy behaviors. Most Okinawan women live up to the age of 100 years.

3. Nicoya, Costa Rica

Costa Ricans get most of their calorie intake from beans, squash and corn, plus tropical fruits. This helps the Nicoya community survive until the age of 90 and beyond.

4. Loma Linda, California, United States

The people in Loma Linda share a common principle, to emphasize on community members' compliance with the Sabbath or rest days. Reflecting helps them to live 10 years longer than their fellow Americans. Many residents of Loma Linda avoid meat and eat lots of plants, grains and nuts.

5. Ikaria, Greece

The Greeks of Ikaria tend to sleep later and obey the Mediterranean diet rule: lots of fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, potatoes, and olive oil.

One out of every three persons in Ikaria lives a healthy life until the age of 90; mostly free from dementia and chronic diseases, Time reported.

ANTARA