Many years back in two neighbouring villages in the U.S. researchers were baffled that despite the comparatively unhealthy diet those living in that particular village, suffered less heart problems and other health problems than the village next door. After years of research and studying many habits of the inhabitants of the two villages the researchers came to the conclusion that in one village lived the descendants of the Dutch and the other village was inhabited mainly by the descendants of Italians. The Dutch were relatively much less interwoven as a community than the Italians who traditionally live closely knit with their neighbours, relatives and family. So despite the pasta and cheeses, Italians lived longer because they were surrounded by people.