Health, Longevity and Life Conditions in Okinawa

Okinawa is known as a region with a rapid increase in longevity after World War II. The number of people who have reached the age of 100 years, centenarians, is internationally high, and low rates of mortality in, for example, heart and cerebrovacular diseases, have been characteristic of the island prefecture. Since 1995 changes in the longevity face have taken place because statistics have revealed that the health among men is in danger. The longevity face has at least for men been sorely wounded. The changed health of especially men in the middle age is of the greatest concern in health and social policy.