Sardinian Village Bolotana Shows Remarkable Centenarian Rate Linked to Simple Habits

National Geographic researchers have spotlighted Bolotana, a small settlement on Sardinia, as a possible new “blue zone” after finding ten centenarians among its 2,262 residents, a rate ten times the Sardinian average. Led by Dan Buettner, the team published their observations in Frontiers in Aging, noting three recurring habits among the long-lived: continual movement through walking steep village lanes, a predominantly plant-based diet rich in beans, vegetables, wheat, olives and olive oil, and dense social networks fostered by shared meals, church attendance and community events.

Women in Bolotana exhibit especially high life expectancy, possibly aided by greater male participation in household tasks, reducing stress. While the study does not establish direct causality, it suggests the village’s environment and traditions may support exceptional longevity. Buettner emphasizes that residents are not actively pursuing longer lives; the lifestyle emerges naturally from their surroundings.