A small road of mid -Madrid, Kail de Jordan, incorporates the entire cycle of human life. There is a breeding clinic on a block, a common vision in a country that suffers from deficiency of children. Further a block is a day center for pensioners, helps in advertising services and mobility such as memory training. In the 60s, it is common for women to grow their 90-some mothers to the door.

Health Matrix and Assessment Institute at Washington University recently released estimates for longevity by the country in 2050. Out of the top 20 top 20 to live in ripe old age, Switzerland and Singapore are rich. East Asia is also represented by South Korea and Japan, longer by longevity leaders.

But a geographical cluster of relatively poor countries is also suitable for a long time: Spain, Italy, France and Portugal. (Three nearby microstats, San Marino, Malta and Andora, also make the top 20.) The oldest person is a Spanish woman, Maria Bronus Morera (117), a French a French. Health and long life GDP is uncertainly correlated with per capita. Why does Southern Europe improve the general link between wealth and health, leading to longer lifespan in Spain (85.5 years in 2050) averaged than the average Dane (83.5)?

Many indicate for “Mediterranean Diet” -Fish, whole grains, fresh fruits, vegetables and olive oil. Critics, however, suggest that diets differ widely from Portugal to Greece. In addition, researchers found that today’s Mediterranean does not stick to the diet. The plaza in Spain is full of fried fish and salty haims, washed with beer, some people may inadvertently consider. Spaniaards are slightly higher than European average and smoke, and are among Europe’s largest cocaine users.

Dan Buetnar, who has written several books on those areas where people live for a long time, should not be seen on today’s habits to understand why people grow old, but half a century ago, when people eat “farmer food”, grains, beans and tubers were dominated. A recent study of “Blue Zone” (a designation for those regions “features several centuries facilities in Sardinia) found that the diet included” famine foods “, such as ecorn and clay bread and insect larvae made. Includes, but “cultural inertia” keeps them somewhat healthy, Mr. Buetner says.

The shepherd past indicates another factor: movement. According to a 2017 study, Spaniyard leads Western Europe in steps at 5,936 per day. (Italy, France and Portugal are less impressive.) The study found that countries with “activity inequality” – some vipul walkers but many couch potatoes, such as in the US and Saudi Arabia – have the highest obesity rates. Where everyone moved a reasonable amount, such as in Spain, there were less. This clearly reduces mortality rate from diseases related to obesity.

Why do spaniaards move so far? The Spanish city, and even small publoses, are densely populated; Hit the city boundaries and you often occur in empty rural areas. Neither the culture nor the suburbs are spread in favor of regulation, so even with abundant lands, spanienges live above each other. Paris and other places aim to create a “15-minute cities”, where most of the requirements are within the running radius, can learn a lot from Spain. The same study saw “activity inequality”, which investigate the urban America, finding that dense cities such as New York and Boston had more (and more equally distributed) levels of activity than places such as Atlanta and Phoenix.

But to emphasize the diet and recall a piece of exercise puzzle. Spain’s ability to walk is also good for social life. Cities are built around the plaza where friends, family and colleagues sit, eat, drink and talk. It becomes good for you, even if you sips Vermouth and eat crisp in the afternoon. Remes of research shows that social interaction is important for physical and psychological welfare.

According to a recent survey by Gallop, a polster, and meta, a social-media company, 76% Spanish says they feel “very” or “quite” socially supported. It is above average, although not top in the table. Galp chief John Clifton says his firm’s research suggests that Spaniards are quite unhappy and disintegrated at work. He said that a title in a newspaper El Paes, it found it more or less right: Spain “is the best country to live and the worst to do”.

But the work is not everything. Spaniards are ranked fourth in the world when they were asked if they have seen friends or family who live with them in the last week or live with them (Greece were the second). This may be an unexpected reverse of the fact that many young southern Europeans may not get enough jobs to go out of their parents’ homes. Family bonds are tight, including trying time such as financial crisis and epidemics.

The southern European countries do not score the highest on happiness – this title has long been conducted by Denmark and Finland.

But the assessment of happiness is longer the weight of life’s satisfaction is more heavier than the short -term smile and laughing. Those types of gaiety are most often reported by Latin Americans. And, metaphor and physically, a line drawn from Helsinki to Buenos Aires passes through Spain. The country has European level of wealth (the best prophet of happiness) and health care (which keeps people alive), while sharing cultural symptoms with Latin Americans: living for a moment and cherishing friendship and families. These are not just good in themselves. They keep walking you too.

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