A doctor has shared five diet tips that will help you live a longer and healthier life (Image: Getty)

There are a number of places where people regularly live to over 100 years old. What’s more, many of these individuals are living healthily and independently. The areas of the world most closely associated with long and healthy lives include the island of Sardinia, in Italy; Ikaria, in Greece; Okinawa, in Japan, and Nicoya, in Costa Rica, but their longevity is about what they eat rather than where they live and the climate they enjoy.

A US-based doctor, Dr Poonam Desai, has identified the five healthy eating habits that separate the people living in the aforementioned areas from many of the people living in the UK or the US. Dr Desai has spoken about the five most important elements of those people’s diets that enable them to live for so long.

Dr Desai said that she tries to incorporate all five into her daily routine. Speaking to her 23,000 followers on TikTok, she detailed the diet secrets that enable people to remain healthy for longer and reduce the risk of bowel cancer, dementia, heart disease and diabetes.

1. Eat fresh fruit and vegetables

The first is maximising fruits and vegetables. Dr Desai said this means consuming a variety of different types and colours of fruits and vegetables, aiming for at least five portions per day.