It’s the United States of America, early 60’s, the time of flower power, when people made love not war, of John F Kennedy and Martin Luther King. We come to the town of Roseto, Pennsylvania. Roseto just like any other town, except for one thing – the people of Roseto are remarkably healthy. Their heart attack rate is ¼ of the national average, fewer people go senile in Roseto, fewer people get peptic ulcers in Roseto.
Stunned health officials decide they should find out why. Maybe they’ll find the key to good health! But Roseto stumps them. Rosetans smoke as much as people in neighbouring towns, exercise as little as people in neighbouring towns, face the same stressful situations as people in neighbouring towns, meet national average for obesity and high blood pressure, in fact eat more meat and fat than the average American.
The researchers are stumped. They can’t identify any environmental or food factors. Maybe its something genetic? They trace relatives of several Rosetan families to uncover possible genetic or ethnic link. Nothing.
In the end health officials tracked the secret to good health in Roseto – ready for it: close sense of community, very strong bonds of family and friendship. Head of the research team wrote in his report: "In terms of preventing heart disease, it’s just possible that morale is more important than jogging or not eating butter."
Source: unknown.
Applications: community, health, relationships, friendship, family