Okinawa Diet

[Guest guest]

Quick question, prompted from reading the following at the LEF

Okinawa link:

" One of the most telling facts of Okinawan life is that residents of

the 161-island Japanese prefecture eat a low-calorie, plant-based

diet high in unrefined carbohydrates, low in protein and low in

sodium. "

If this is so then why is average life span in Okinawa only three

years longer than in Italy, and less than five years longer than in

the US? (Some of the US shortfall is no doubt accounted for by the

especially poor diet and healthcare of some minority groups).

CRON literature suggests 40 to 50 year extension may be possible if

the animal experiments analogy is appropriate. Clearly the Okinawans

are doing a lot of things right. But if their lives are only

extended by a few years then presumably they must be doing some

things dramatically wrong? If so, do we know what?

Or is the explanation that it is the last couple of hundred calorie

drop - say from 1200 to 1000 - that accounts for much of the observed

animal CRON studies effects? (If great willpower is needed to forego

that final 200 calories, the Okinawans probably would eat the extra

couple of hundred calories).

Thanks for any responses.