In the U.S., when people want to lose weight or at least clean up their diet, they often turn to the Mediterranean diet. Rich in nuts, fruits, vegetables, and olive oil, the diet has been credited for the the long life spans of the people who live in the region where it originated.

But sadly, even in countries like Greece, Italy, Spain, and Morocco, the Mediterranean diet is in decline. Instead, the latest generation of kids enjoy a steady diet of processed foods and sweets, making a whopping two-thirds of them overweight. Health experts and government leaders are aghast and are seeking to designate the diet an "intangible piece of cultural heritage."

In America, where our national foods are hot dogs and apple pie, this might not seem like a big deal. But I find it incredibly sad that these countries are not only losing a significant piece of their history, but along with it wonderful foods that contributed to their longevity.

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Little girls born in Japan in 2007 have the longest life expectancy of any other people on the planet... 86 years. Though life expectancy is a complicated issue, experts say that Japanese women live so long in part because of their healthy diet and unique social structure, as well as advancements made in medical care. Boys born in Japan last year can expect to live 79.2 years, while residents of Iceland and Hong Kong aren't far behind.

The flip side of this is that Japan's birth rate is also very low, which leaves the Japanese government in a unique position -- how to run a country with an aging population without a younger population to back them up?

Still, the Japanese are definitely doing something right. About.com digs a little deeper into the hows and whys of the long life spans of Japan.

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It's been said that drinking moderate amounts of red wine and using olive oil to cook those foods would lead many of us to a longer life. Scientists this week again reiterated that this 'Mediterranean Diet' is filled with great ingredients, some of which have been found to increased the lifespan are -- are you ready -- yeast.

While yeast and that animal known as a human being are quite different from the surface, both creatures share many genes, believe it or not.

This newer research has led some scientists to speculate that the specific combination of foods from the Mediterranean area could translate into more longevity for humans -- just like in yeast.

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According to India's "Lima Book of Records," Habib Miyan is the oldest man in the world -- having just celebrated his 138th birthday this past weekend. That's 24 years older than the woman Guinness recognizes as the world's oldest person, and 32 years older than the world's oldest league bowler (just in case you were wondering).

The question is: is it true?

It's a little hard to believe, but doesn't seem impossible. The oldest authenticated "Supercentenarian" (the name given by scientists to exceptionally old people), was born in 1875, and was 122 years old when she died in 1997.

No news on if and when anyone is going to try and authenticate Mr. Miyan's claims, but I hope it turns out to be true. I can't imagine the knowledge, wisdom and insight a person would acquire after 138 years of life -- plus I like the idea that I might live for another 100 years or more.

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Recent numbers from the Australian Bureau of Statistics shows two very different bits of news: on one hand certain parts of the Australian population are among the longest living in the world, while other populations are among the shortest.

The nations capital, Canberra, boasts the longest life spans -- with women living an average of 84 years and men 79.9 years. But the indigenous Australians don't fair so well, with the average dropping about 17 years -- only 64.8 years on average for woman and 59.4 years for men. Why the dramatic gap? Poverty, substance abuse, and limited access to healthcare are the suspected culprits. Fortunately, these groups make up a very small percentage of the entire population of Australia.

Only 3 places in the world beat Australia's over-all life expectancy averages for men and women: Iceland, Japan, and Hong Kong.

I wish I could see where the U.S. ranks on that list.

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