Ikaria Study

The Ikaria Study is a small-scale survey by the University of Athens School of Medicine of the diet and lifestyle of Greek people over age 80 on the island of Ikaria. The study found that the Ikarian diet includes olive oil, red wine, fish, coffee, herbal tea, honey, potatoes, garbanzo beans, black-eyed peas, lentils, and a limited amount of meat, sugar and dairy products, except goat milk.

The data showed that people on Ikaria achieved successful aging by reducing emotional and cognitive dysfunction while sustaining physical activities throughout old age. It also hypothesized that noon siesta and engagement in social activities are factors that contributed to the Ikarians' longevity.

See also

• Mediterranean diet
• Ikarian coffee

Further reading

• Chrysohoou, Christina; Tsitsinakis, George; Siassos, Gerassimos; Psaltopoulou, Theodora; Galiatsatos, Nikos; Metaxa, Vasiliki; Lazaros, George; Miliou, Antigoni; Giakoumi, Evaggelia; Mylonakis, Charalambos; Zaromytidou, Marina; Economou, Evaggelos; Triantafyllou, Georgia; Pitsavos, Christos; Stefanadis, Christodoulos (2011). "Fish Consumption Moderates Depressive Symptomatology in Elderly Men and Women from the IKARIA Study". Cardiology Research and Practice. 2011: 219578. doi:10.4061/2011/219578. PMC 3010635. PMID 21197433.
• Panagiotakos, Demosthenes B; Chrysohoou, Christina; Siasos, Gerasimos; Zisimos, Konstantinos; Skoumas, John; Pitsavos, Christos; Stefanadis, Christodoulos (2011). "Sociodemographic and Lifestyle Statistics of Oldest Old People (>80 Years) Living in Ikaria Island: The Ikaria Study". Cardiology Research and Practice. 2011: 679187. doi:10.4061/2011/679187. PMC 3051199. PMID 21403883.
• Buettner, Dan (October 24, 2012). "The Island Where People Forget to Die". The New York Times. Retrieved November 12, 2012.