Emerging 58/100
Ikaria — Dietary patterns and exceptional longevity
In plain English
On the Greek island of Ikaria, approximately one in three residents reaches age 90, with very low rates of dementia and depression. Investigators document a Mediterranean diet rich in wild greens, beans, olive oil and herbal teas, alongside daily walking on steep terrain and strong community ties.
Why it matters
1 in 3 Ikarians reaches age 90.
Informs: Blue Zones
Provenance
- Design
- Cross-sectional
- Sample size (n)
- 1,420
- Peer-reviewed
- Yes
- Replications
- 1
- Funding
- Public / academic
- Funders
- Hellenic Cardiological Society
- Institutions
- Harokopio University of Athens
decades.plus score
A transparent 0–100 weighted sum across six components. Higher scores reflect bigger, cleaner, more replicated work.
Emerging 58/100
Caveats
Cross-sectional design captures associations, not causation. Selection effects (people who stay on the island may differ from those who leave) are hard to rule out.
