Italian
They confirm their leadership for the 41st consecutive year, just behind are Spain and South Korea
Let’s talk about life expectancy, and for years in Japan, people live longer, at least when it comes to women; men, on the other hand, have slipped to seventh place in the world ranking, losing a position. Just to share some data, the average is 87 years for women and 81 for men. But the very striking and intriguing fact lies in the reality that the Japanese people do not typically crowd medical offices, nursing homes, or hospitals until they are 70 years old or older. The lifestyle is “the main suspect” in this whole story, starting with the diet, which emphasizes small portions of food served at the table. With seaweed as the star ingredient, accompanied by tofu, squid, and octopus, along with vegetables. Not to mention tea, especially green tea, which plays a significant role in ceremonies. Nutritionists have always approved of this diet, which is low in saturated fats, and the results are evident. However, if we think that the Japanese world is all idyllic, we are mistaken, as the society of the Land of the Rising Sun is based on high competition at work, with stressful rhythms and very long hours, but above all characterized by the enormous importance that the Japanese people place on their careers, where failure is considered almost unacceptable. Finally, we cannot overlook the genetic factor: some studies have shown that the long life of the Japanese people may be favored by two specific genes: ND2 – 237 and DNA 5178. Although the cultural attitudes of the Japanese, including ikigai, or one’s purpose in life, seem to be emotional levers that could have a significant impact over time.
