Is Singapore a longevity Blue Zone?

Ever heard of a Blue Zone¹? It’s not a mystical place, but rather a place where people seem to live longer and have a high concentration of centenarians or 100-year-olds.

The term was coined by Dan Buettner, a best-selling New York Times author. He used it for places that feel like time capsules – not overly modern or swamped with all the hustle and bustle. In his documentary called “Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zone”², Singapore got its name on the list alongside Okinawa in Japan, Loma Linda in Califonia, Ikaria in Greece, Sardinia in Italy, and Nicoya in Costa Rica.

Unlike other Blue Zones where a lifestyle of longevity spanned over a period of centuries, Singapore wasn’t always like this. Because of how Singapore set out to create an environment of health and well-being, Singapore was termed an “engineered longevity spot”.

This might be surprising to many of us Singaporeans as the government has been raising the flag on various health issues such as the rise in diabetes³ whilst encouraging lower salt intake⁴. It appears the amount of residents who spend at least 150 minutes on physical activity a week has also decreased⁵.

Yet, we still made the cut. Let’s see why.

Characteristics of longevity Blue Zones

The top Blue Zones in the world all share many similar characteristics. For example, people mostly eat on a plant-based diet – meat is seldom eaten in large portions and often no more than 4 to 5 times a month.

While there are six Blue Zones, only five regions share several core traits. Buettner identified their residents’ traits and habits as the “power 9”⁶ – a list of lifestyle habits shared by the top Blue Zones in the world. Here’s a short breakdown:

1. People live a lifestyle that encourages natural movement. It’s about being active in a natural manner. Often, the activities include gardening, farming, housework, cooking, cleaning, long walks, and other daily necessities.
2. The residents have a sense of purpose in their lives. Residents in these Blue Zones live life purposefully. For example, in Japan, it’s known as the Ikigai. People live joyful lives by embracing that which brings them joy, whether its loved ones and friends, or work or hobbies.
3. Stress relief is incorporated into their daily lives. This can be as simple as a nap, prayer, or an evening wind-down ritual.
4. People control caloric intake. Residents care about what they eat and they habitually fast, processing and burning calories quickly. For example, Okinawans observe the philosophy of ‘hara hachi bun me’, translating to eat until you’re 80% full.
5. Their diet is predominantly from a plant or a plant product. Beans, greens, sweet potatoes, soy and lentils are preferred food choices. Meat is eaten sparingly and in small amounts.
6. Alcohol is regularly consumed in moderation. Choice of alcohol within these communities is often red wine, which is rich in antioxidants such as quercetin and resveratrol. People in these communities tend to drink 1 to 2 glasses of red wine at the end of the day.
7. Faith is a central point. Most people follow a spiritual or religious practice.
8. They put their loved ones first. Young and old members live together in lifelong monogamous relationships. The communities are typically family-oriented, keeping ageing parents near.
9. These communities have a supportive network. The communities support each other towards happy and healthy lifestyles.

Many of these power 9 traits have an effect on overall well-being. Close-knit relationships that support each other are just as necessary within a Blue Zone as healthy food and regular physical activity. The key factor is to live holistically in a healthy environment.

Singapore’s approach to health and longevity

So, now that we’ve learned some of the Blue Zone’s Power 9 traits, does it sound like how we live in Singapore?  There are some noticeable differences as follows:

Singapore Blue Zone is considered an engineered Blue Zone as our average life expectancy has jumped up by 20 years in a quick succession of time. There are several things we have been doing all this while that have helped us in this regard.

One of them is our habit of walking to our destinations. Car ownership in Singapore is only 11%, leaving the other 89% to walk or use public transportation. Walking when heading to the store, visiting friends, and going to work all add up to plenty of physical activities. The amount walked by citizens each day adds up fast too. In many cases, an average Singaporean will walk between 6,000 and 8,000 steps per day, naturally burning plenty of calories.

Labelling of sugary drinks and several anti-diabetic policies³ in place also help ensure that citizens in Singapore are eating reasonably healthily. Overall, this has made Singapore relatively healthy even ranking above Japan in the Global Burden of Disease 2019⁸.

Overcoming challenges as a Blue Zone country

Being a Blue Zone, even an engineered one, is a challenge. Singaporeans will be required to work together to maintain it. One of our main challenges is our diet. For us to live a truly healthier lifestyle, our meals are going to need to undergo a significant change.

While sugar intake may be down thanks to proper labelling procedures, sodium is still being consumed in high quantities daily⁷. This increase can lead to hypertension and even put citizens at risk of a stroke. Therefore, making small changes to reduce salt intake can actually increase our overall health.

With our average life expectancy at 84.9 years, it’s still really important to keep healthy habits so we can do our engineered Blue Zone status justice.

Financial protection

Apart from watching calorie intake and meeting the minimum recommended amount of physical activity, securing term life insurance in Singapore to ensure continued financial coverage for your future is also a positive move forward.

This type of financial protection will also benefit your elderly parents, especially if they are your dependents. It offers a safety net for your loved ones should the unfortunate happen to you so that you can continue to provide for them even when you are not around.

FWD Term Life Insurance will get you covered in minutes for up to S$1.5 million directly online, without any medical examinations if you’re in the pink of health. You can take comfort in knowing that even in your absence, your loved ones will be financially supported and protected.