15 Facts About Dan Buettner

Dan Buettner co-produced the 3 time Emmy Award winning documentary TV mini series Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones based on his book by the same name and holds three Guinness records for distance cycling.

Dan Buettner is a promoter of plant-based diets from his research on blue zones and has authored numerous books on the subject.

Dan Buettner was born on June 18,1960, in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

Dan Buettner graduated with a BA in Spanish and Literature from the University of St Thomas in 1983.

In 1986, Dan Buettner launched the first of several Guinness World Records for transcontinental cycling.

In 1992, in "Africatrek", the Dan Buettner brothers team-cycled from Bizerte, Tunisia, to Cape Agulhas, South Africa, with cyclist Dr Chip Thomas, covering 11,885 miles over eight months.

When Dan Buettner realized that adults were following his expeditions, he approached National Geographic with the idea to research longevity hotspots and was given support to move forward.

Dan Buettner then met with Robert Kane, as of 2016 the Director, Center on Aging, at the University of Minnesota, who introduced him to demographers and scientists at the National Institute on Aging in Washington, DC Buettner was awarded a grant from the National Institute of Aging.

In 2003, Dan Buettner began leading trips to these destinations while collaborating with a variety of experts, including anthropologists, historians, dietitians, and geneticists.

In 2006, under aegis of National Geographic, Dan Buettner collaborated with Michel Poulain and Costa Rican demographer Dr Luis Rosero-Bixby to identify a fourth longevity hotspot in the Nicoya Peninsula.

Dan Buettner argues that creating lasting happiness is only achievable through optimizing the social and physical environments.

The book was featured on the cover of Parade, and Dan Buettner was interviewed extensively on national media.

In 2008, inspired by Finland's North Karelia Project, Dan Buettner designed a plan to apply his Blue Zones principles to an American town.

In 2010, Dan Buettner partnered with Healthways, a global health and well-being company, to scale the Blue Zones city work under the rubric of Blue Zones Projects.

In 2023, Dan Buettner co-produced and featured in a TV mini series Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones.