Where do the healthiest Americans live? A new report finds that residents in California, Minnesota and Utah tend to have especially long and healthy lives — to the point that these states might one day become so-called “Blue Zones.”
Author Dan Buettner came up with the concept of Blue Zones as he traveled globally conducting research to figure out the secrets to living longer. His work is now featured in a popular 2023 Netflix documentary series called “Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones.”
Residents of his five Blue Zones (locations in Italy, Greece, Japan and Costa Rica, as well as Loma Linda, California) have lower incidence of chronic disease and much longer life expectancies than the general population. Buettner also suggests that there may be other Blue Zones that will emerge in the future.
A new index from online pharmacy NowPatient builds around Buettner’s theories, grading U.S. states on the health and longevity of their residents, and their potential to be home to a new Blue Zone.
The index is based on data relating to sleep, physical activity and anxiety/depression. The index also rewards states for reasons that might seem curious, like having a high number of Google searches for meat-free restaurants.
Why might this be? According to NowPatient, “Blue Zones’ food guidelines specifically recommend reducing eggs, fish, and dairy. In fact, if you want to eat like those in the Blue Zones, then your diet must be between 95.0% to 100.0% plant-based.”
Among the other categories that some may deem as controversial or questionable: States where a high share of the population is religious also rank higher. This is because people who live in high-life-expectancy Blue Zones tend to belong to faith-based communities, according to Buettner’s research.
10 states most likely to become Blue Zones
Buettner’s ideas on longevity have made waves in health and wellness circles. Here’s a ranking of the top 10 states most likely to become Blue Zones:
- California
- Minnesota
- Utah
- North Carolina
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Virginia
- Connecticut
- Rhode Island
- Colorado
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