Iowa aims to be healthiest

DES MOINES – Gov. Terry Branstad announced today a plan to make Iowa the healthiest state within five years.

Branstad said the Healthiest State Initiative will be a community and business led, government-endorsed statewide effort that will engage citizens throughout Iowa to improve their overall health and well-being in hopes of topping the healthiest-state rankings, as measured by the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index.

Iowa's 2010 overall well-being index rank is 19th compared with all other states.

“Our goal is to get Iowa to the No. 1 spot by 2016,” Branstad said. “It's an ambitious goal to jump 18 positions in five years, but if anyone can do it, Iowans can.”

While Iowa scores well in many areas, there is a significant opportunity for improvement in healthy behavior and work environment, the governor noted.

“This Healthiest State Initiative will assist Iowans in learning about and applying proven methods to live longer, happier and healthier lives,” Branstad said. “We control more than 70 percent of the factors that influence our health. It is within our power to make a positive difference in our lives.”

Addressing comprehensive lifestyle changes could allow Iowa to redirect as much as $16 billion in health-care expenses and lost productivity over the next five years to grow the state economy, Branstad said. He added that the success of the new initiative would be critical to Iowa's economic viability and could translate to a healthier state and better quality of life for all its residents.

The multiyear effort will be designed to align existing and new initiatives that permanently change policies and the environment.

As a first step, all Iowans are encouraged to take part in a Start Somewhere Walk on Oct. 7. At noon that day, communities, neighborhoods, schools, businesses, churches and other groups across the state will gather to walk one kilometer (0.62 miles, or about seven to eight blocks) as a way to demonstrate their support for the goal. For information on walks near you or to organize one, visit the Healthiest State website at www.IowaHealthiestState.com.

A centerpiece of the new initiative will be the Blue Zones Project, through which people can work to transform their community and live measurably longer. Funded by Wellmark Blue Cross/Blue Shield, initially 10 communities will become “Blue Zones” over the next five years. Then other communities may follow.

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