Cedar Rapids to continue pursuing Blue Zone goals

UPDATE: Cedar Rapids will continue to pursue becoming a Blue Zones Community, even after the city fell short in its initial attempt.

Cedar Falls, Waterloo, Mason City and Spencer were announced Friday as Iowa's first Blue Zones demonstration sites.

“We do plan to continue our effort,” said Stephanie Neff, deputy director of Linn County Public Health and one of the leaders of the push to have Cedar Rapids selected. “I don't think it's an option not to move forward.”

Cedar Rapids was one of 11 finalists to compete to be a demonstration site. Others besides the four chosen were Ames, Clinton, Davenport, Muscatine, Ottumwa and Sioux City. Those cities will be considered in the next selection round, to be announced in January, but will not have to reapply. A total of 10 larger cities will be selected.

Blue Zones is based on principles in author Dan Buettner's book of the same name, referring to places around the world where people live longer, healthier lives.

“This is a real example of taking a risk,” Buettner said at a news conference Friday in Des Moines, where the demonstration sites were announced. “What we've tried in the past largely hasn't worked.”

The project is a main component of Iowa's healthiest state initiative, an effort to make Iowa – now 16th – the nation's healthiest state under the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index by 2016. Doing so could save the state up to $16 billion over five years in health care costs and lost productivity.

Cedar Rapids Mayor Ron Corbett said leaders will meet next week with representatives of Blue Zones and Healthways, a Nashville-based well-being company partnering in Iowa's effort to see where the city can improve.

Corbett pointed to accomplishments, including directing more funding to trails and NewBo City Market, the city's forthcoming indoor farmers market, but said Cedar Rapids fell short in the number of people pledging support to Blue Zones.

Cedar Rapids tallied just 7 percent support, compared to Spencer, the leader with more than 38 percent. Still, Waterloo, one of the selected sites, had only 4 percent support.

Chosen communities will receive expert advice to help improve their residents' emotional, physical and social health through environmental and policy changes. The program is funded over five years by a $25 million commitment from Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield.

“There's no sour grapes on our part,” Corbett said. “We're committed to helping the governor make Iowa the healthiest state and we'd like Cedar Rapids to be the healthiest city in the state.”

Decorah is among 10 smaller towns selected to receive site visits in June. Others chosen to compete are Algona, Audobon, Fairfield, Harlan, Osage, Red Oak, Spirit Lake, St. Ansgar and Woodbine. The first sites in the small town category will be announced in August.

Blue Zones hires experts who offer best practices to transform work sites, schools, grocery stores, restaurants, community policy and individuals, but the cities also must commit to change.

Gov. Terry Branstad noted that the project has been under way for nine months.

“Although we're pleased with the progress, we know there is a lot more to do,” he said.

Here is the press release from this morning's news conference:

DES MOINES, Iowa and NASHVILLE, Tenn. – May 4, 2012 – Wellmark Blue Crossand Blue Shield chairman and CEO, John Forsyth, and Healthways President and CEO, Ben R. Leedle, Jr., today joined with Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and Blue Zones founder Dan Buettner to introduce Cedar Falls, Mason City, Spencer and Waterloo as the first Blue Zones Project demonstration site communities in Iowa.

The selected communities will receive assistance from national experts to develop and implement a blueprint for making permanent environmental, social, and policy changes that transition people into healthier behaviors that can lead to longer, happier lives.

Governor Branstad said, “I'm extremely proud of the communities selected to become demonstration sites. The leaders in these communities have shown they are ready to make substantial changes to improve the environments where they live, work and play. Communities will share their experiences and successes with other communities in an effort to transform all of Iowa into a place where people live longer, healthier lives.”

 The Blue Zones Project is based on Blue Zones principles developed by Buettner and is the centerpiece of the Healthiest State Initiative to make Iowa the healthiest state by 2016 as measured by the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index

^®

. Blue Zones employs evidence-based ways to help people live longer, better lives by taking a systematic, environmental approach to well-being, which focuses on optimizing policy, social networks, and the built environments where we spend our time.

Wellmark's John Forsyth said, “The enthusiasm and passion of Iowa communities to improve the overall health of our state is beyond exciting and I'd like to congratulate the people of Cedar Falls, Mason City, Spencer and Waterloo. They recognize that by making comprehensive changes that address overall well-being, they are leading the way toward making Iowa the healthiest state in the nation.”

The progress of the demonstration site communities will also be measured using the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, the first-ever daily assessment of U.S. residents' health and well-being.

“Recent Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index findings reveal that despite a modest increase in overall well-being from 2010 to 2011, there is significant opportunity in Iowa for improvement in several key areas, including  healthy behaviors and work environments,” said Leedle. “Selection as Blue Zones Project demonstration sites will equip Cedar Falls, Mason City, Spencer and Waterloo residents with tools to directly address each community's specific areas of opportunity and achieve greater well-being, which should ultimately lead to lower health-related costs, increased productivity and higher economic viability.”

“Through the Blue Zones Project, tools that can facilitate the journey for any community to achieving higher well-being have been made available to Iowa communities and residents state-wide,” said Blue Zones founder Dan Buettner.

In the first application round (November 2011), 84 communities indicated an interest in becoming Blue Zones Project demonstration sites. Of these 84 communities, 58 were asked to submit a comprehensive application. On January 4, 2012, 54 communities submitted their applications to continue their journey to become a demonstration site. The selection of 11 finalist communities was announced on February 10, 2012, and was followed by Blue Zones Project team site visits to each of the finalist communities in February and March.

Six additional Iowa communities with populations above 10,000 will be selected as Blue Zones Project demonstration sites in the next year, for a total of 10 demonstration sites. These communities will share their learnings with other communities in Iowa that are employing Blue Zones principles.

For more information on the Blue Zones Project, including details on how to become a certified Blue Zones Community, visit www.bluezonesproject.com.

About Wellmark

Wellmark, Inc. (www.wellmark.com) does business as Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa. Wellmark and its subsidiaries and affiliated companies, including Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Dakota and Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc., insure or pay health benefit claims for more than 2 million members in Iowa and South Dakota. Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of South Dakota, and Wellmark Health Plan of Iowa, Inc. are independent licensees of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.

About Healthways

Healthways (NASDAQ: HWAY) is the largest independent global provider of well-being improvement solutions. Dedicated to creating a healthier world one person at a time, the Company uses the science of behavior change to produce and measure positive change in well-being for our customers, which include employers, integrated health systems, hospitals, physicians, health plans, communities and government entities.  We provide highly specific and personalized support for each individual and their team of experts to optimize each participant's health and productivity and to reduce health-related costs.  Results are achieved by addressing longitudinal health risks and care needs of everyone in a given population. The Company has scaled its proprietary technology infrastructure and delivery capabilities developed over 30 years and now serves approximately 40 million people on four continents.  Learn more at www.healthways.com.

About Blue Zones

^®

Blue Zones employs evidence-based ways to help people live longer, better. The Company's work is rooted in the New York Times best-selling books The Blue Zones and Thrive-both published by National Geographic books.  In 2009, Blue Zones applied the tenets of the books to Albert Lea, MN and successfully raised life expectancy and lowered health care costs for city workers by 40%.  Blue Zones takes a systematic, environmental approach to well-being which focuses on optimizing policy, building design, social networks, and the built environment. The Blue Zones Project is based on this innovative approach.  For more information, visit www.bluezones.com.