Bolotana Posts 13.8% Female Centenarian Rate, Emerging as Sardinia's New Blue Zone
Updated
Updated · The Guardian · Oct 8
Bolotana Posts 13.8% Female Centenarian Rate, Emerging as Sardinia's New Blue Zone
1 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Oct 8
Summary
Bolotana has emerged as a new candidate blue zone after a study found 13.8% of women there who reach 70 live to 100, second globally for female longevity after Hong Kong.
Records for villagers born between 1900 and 1925 showed 38 people lived past 100, a longevity rate 57% above Italy's national average and outside Sardinia's original blue-zone cluster.
As of last year, the mountain village had 12 centenarians among 2,266 residents—about 12 times the Sardinian average; six have since died, and the six remaining are all women.
Researchers said the finding marks Sardinia's first longevity hotspot discovered beyond its established blue zone in more than 25 years, with more residents expected to turn 100 by late 2026 and 2027.
The study did not identify a cause, though local officials and researchers pointed to strong social ties, daily walking, and a simple diet as possible contributors.