In Osini, a village in Sardinia, a record number of centenarians have been reached.

Battistina Piras, 106, is always busy, starting early in the morning: her day begins by hanging out laundry and greeting everyone who passes by her balcony. Tziu Mario Lobina, 101, one of the civic heroes during the 1951 flood, is still ready to do his part in times of heavy rain and problems for the population, meanwhile he never gives up his daily espresso at the café in the town's main square. Vittorio Mura, who just turned 100, is regularly in the fields every morning, doing his work as a farmer.

Battistina, Mario, and Vittorio are some of the centenarians in Osini, a small village in Ogliastra, in the province of Sardinia. Osini has now become the Italian municipality with the highest number of residents over 100 years old. If we consider those born after 1915, the average is one centenarian for every 46 inhabitants.

The phenomenon is studied extensively by experts, who have included some areas of Sardinia, including Osini in the Blue Zone, a term used to describe areas with more centenarians than expected,

In one of these studi, published in the magazine Nature, 11 genetic markers associated with longevity and traditional lifestyle factors, including diet and daily activity, were analyzed.

In particular, to explain such a high density of centenarians, the following are highlighted:

La local diet it is often simple, based on local products, high in vegetables, legumes, whole grains, sheep/goat milk and cheeses, and consumed in moderation.
Daily work (farming, walking on hilly terrain), the active life without intense exercise but with constant movement, and the consumption of traditional foods promote well-being and an efficient metabolism.
Active but non-stressful lifestyle.

Traditional eating habits not only provide nutrients, but they also maintain social and cultural ties, reducing stress and strengthening the sense of community (factors associated with long-term health).

Other locations in the world, in Japan, Greece and Costa Rica are part, due to their characteristics, of the Blue Zone but with different aspects, even in nutrition. The extraordinary longevity in Sardinia is linked to a diet rich in sheep and goats, and to an active life in the mountains. In Japan (the area with the longest lifespan is Okinawa), women's long life is combined with a low-calorie diet rich in soy, a strong sense of community, and "ikigai," a sort of deep reason that gives meaning to life and pushes you to wake up every day with a strong motivationIn the Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica, good overall hydration and a high calcium intake, along with a diet based on corn and beans, combined with a vibrant rural lifestyle, are crucial for longevity. In Ikaria, Greece, the Mediterranean diet, rich in olive oil, vegetables, and local wine, along with a relaxed lifestyle and daily siesta, are key.

In Osini, a village in Sardinia, a record number of centenarians have been reached.

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