Areas around the world with the highest ration of people aged over 100 could hold the key to enable longer life among the wider population.
Research across 20 years in five communities in Italy, Japan, Costa Rica, Greece and California, known as blue zones, unearthed secrets to long life that could increase the numbers living healthier into old age elsewhere.
Blue zones are demographically confirmed, geographically defined areas with the highest percentage of centenarians, those who are at least 100 years old, compared with the rest of the world.
A very important aspect to healthy ageing is having sense of purpose and a reason to wake up in the morning
Dr Zemer Wang,
medical director at DP World’s Aviv Clinics
Dan Buettner, an explorer and author, has studied five blue-zone communities around the world to understand more about why some people live considerably longer than others.
“The key factor across all the blue zones is that the centenarians living there did not wake up one morning and decide they wanted to live to 100,” Mr Buettner told The National.
“They simply lived in environments that nudged them into daily movement, encouraged social connectedness and plant-based eating – making the healthy choice not only easy, but unavoidable. We found that all the blue zones shared nine common characteristics that we feel create this environment of health.”
Demographers, anthropologists and epidemiologists found five blue zones around the globe: Ikaria, Greece; Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Nicoya, Costa Rica, and Loma Linda in California.
The so-called power-nine universal factors are natural movement, a sense of purpose, reduced stress, eating in moderation, plant-based diets, moderate but sociable alcohol intake, a sense of belonging or faith, strong family connections and social circles that encourage healthy behaviour.
“The world’s longest-lived people don’t pump iron or run marathons,” said Mr Buettner.
“Instead, their environments nudge them into moving without thinking about it. Knowing your sense of purpose is worth up to seven years of extra life expectancy and the world’s longest-lived people have routines to shed stress.
“In Okinawa, Japan, the people have a mantra 'Hara hachi bu', said before meals as a reminder to stop eating when their stomachs are 80 per cent full. And while centenarians typically eat meat, it is only five times per month.
“Moderate drinkers outlive non-drinkers, especially if they share those drinks with friends, and attending faith-based services four times per month – no matter the denomination – adds up to 14 years of life expectancy.
“Centenarians put their families first. They keep ageing parents and grandparents nearby, commit to a life partner and invest in their children. We know the world’s longest-lived people chose or were born into social circles that support healthy behaviour.”
Obesity influence
Health-conscious friends can also add a positive influence, Mr Buettner said, while those with three close friends who are obese are said to be 150 times more likely to be obese themselves.
The findings show the environment around us plays a major role in sustaining good health into old age.
Experts said only 20 per cent of what determines how long we live is dictated by our genes, with the other 80 per cent driven by lifestyle and environmental factors.
“In these blue zones where people actually age or live for longer, you can see they have a lot of things in common,” said Dr Zemer Wang, medical director at DP World’s Aviv Clinics in Dubai, where reverse ageing research is being conducted.
“The first one is that they're all very physically active. So it can be in Sardinia, in a place where they herd their goats in the mountains, and people in their sixties and seventies are still walking up those mountains.
“And it has to do with calorie-deficient diets, where people do not eat until they're completely satiated on a regular basis. Another factor is low stress, good social connections and family values.”
According to a PricewaterhouseCoopers report on longevity and ageing in Gulf populations, regional age distribution is relatively young compared to most developed nations.
In 2023, the median age in Japan, Denmark, Switzerland, the UK and US was 42, whereas that of Gulf countries was only 30.
The oldest person in the world is Spanish woman Marla Branyas Morera, who is 117.
In the top 10, three are from Japan, three from the US, with a Briton, Venezuelan and Brazilian making up the list.
“A very important aspect to healthy ageing is having a sense of purpose and a reason to wake up in the morning,” said Dr Wang.
“Whenever people retire, some all of a sudden become sick and then they die. This is not a myth. When you have less sense of purpose, you start to deteriorate.”
Rapidly ageing region
A recent PwC report covering the GCC showed those living in the Middle East were ageing at a significantly faster rate than populations in developed nations have done previously.
The trend has been driven by changes in fertility rates and lifespan.
A gleaming silver lining for healthy ageing is a longer working life that could invigorate economies with a later retirement age.
With more people working into later life, changes are being drafted in to increase the statutory retirement age across the world and curb stopping work early.
Life expectancy has increased from about 45 in 1850 to nearly 80 today and it is expected to keep rising.
Between 1840 and 2002, life expectancy increased by 2.5 years every decade due to significant advances in health care, sanitation, nutrition and education.
However, while the number of supercentenarians (those older than 110) has increased dramatically, their average age has not, indicating lifespan has not been greatly extended.
“Being healthy involves more than merely consuming appropriate nutritious foods, exercising and getting enough sleep,” said Dr Frank Lipman, a longevity researcher and proponent of biohacking to determine facets of healthy living at the Wellth Clinic in Dubai.
“Longevity is the accomplishment of a long life. We may hope for a long life so that we can spend many years with our loved ones or travel the world.
“However, living to a ripe old age does not always imply healthy or joyful longevity, particularly if it is accompanied by weakness or disease. If we are not thinking about how to live as long as possible in good health, we are missing the bigger picture.”
RESULTS
6.30pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group One (PA) US$65,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner RB Money To Burn, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).
7.05pm Handicap (TB) $175,000 (Turf) 1,200m
Winner Ekhtiyaar, Jim Crowley, Doug Watson.
7.40pm UAE 2000 Guineas Trial Conditions (TB) $100,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Commanding, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
8.15pm Singspiel Stakes Group Two (TB) $250,000 (T) 1,800m
Winner Benbatl, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.
8.50pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Zakouski, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
9.25pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 Group Two (TB) $350,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Kimbear, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
10pm Dubai Trophy Conditions (TB) $100,000 (T) 1,200m
Winner Platinum Star, Christophe Soumillon, Saeed bin Suroor.
10.35pm Handicap (TB) $135,000 (T) 1,600m
Winner Key Victory, James Doyle, Charlie Appleby.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 4 (Gundogan 8' (P), Bernardo Silva 19', Jesus 72', 75')
Fulham 0
Red cards: Tim Ream (Fulham)
Man of the Match: Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City)
EA%20Sports%20FC%2024
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FULL%20FIGHT%20CARD
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Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Women%E2%80%99s%20Asia%20Cup
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Fixtures
Wednesday
4.15pm: Japan v Spain (Group A)
5.30pm: UAE v Italy (Group A)
6.45pm: Russia v Mexico (Group B)
8pm: Iran v Egypt (Group B)
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
if you go
The flights
Emirates fly direct from Dubai to Houston, Texas, where United have direct flights to Managua. Alternatively, from October, Iberia will offer connections from Madrid, which can be reached by both Etihad from Abu Dhabi and Emirates from Dubai.
The trip
Geodyssey’s (Geodyssey.co.uk) 15-night Nicaragua Odyssey visits the colonial cities of Leon and Granada, lively country villages, the lake island of Ometepe and a stunning array of landscapes, with wildlife, history, creative crafts and more. From Dh18,500 per person, based on two sharing, including transfers and tours but excluding international flights. For more information, visit visitnicaragua.us.
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Sour%20Grapes
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Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
The specs
Engine: 2-litre or 3-litre 4Motion all-wheel-drive Power: 250Nm (2-litre); 340 (3-litre) Torque: 450Nm Transmission: 8-speed automatic Starting price: From Dh212,000 On sale: Now
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
