Could the place you live in have an effect on your life-span?

This episode of 'Ask an Expert' on KCBS Radio explores the concept of Blue Zones—regions around the world where people live significantly longer lives. Hosted by KCBS, the conversation features Jay Olshansky, a public health professor and aging researcher from the University of Illinois at Chicago, who explains that Blue Zones are defined not just by longevity, but by exceptional life expectancy after age 70 and high rates of centenarians. The three most validated Blue Zones—Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; and Nicoya, Costa Rica—are highlighted, with emphasis on their natural, low-tech longevity, shaped by lifestyle, environment, and strong social structures like multi-generational households. Olshansky notes that while factors like diet (e.g., olive oil) may contribute, the core drivers are likely social cohesion, physical activity, and community support. He also discusses how zip code-level disparities in the U.S.—driven by income, education, and pollution—can lead to decades-long differences in life expectancy, even across streets. The episode concludes with a forward-looking discussion on the trade-offs of medical progress: while we’ve extended life, we now face rising rates of age-related diseases. The future, Olshansky suggests, lies not just in living longer, but in living healthier by targeting the biology of aging itself.