CHOICE Regional Health Network launches "Blue Zones Activate" in Grays Harbor, Lewis, and Mason counties

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- CHOICE Regional Health Network has announced the launch of Blue Zones Activate, a health and well-being transformation initiative, in Grays Harbor, Lewis, and Mason counties in Central Western Washington. Research shows that where people live significantly influences their health and life expectancy. Blue Zones uses evidence-based strategies to make it easier for people to make healthy choices in the communities in which they live.

Built on over 20 years of research, their innovative work in over 70 communities around the country has sparked transformations that enhance the well-being of all residents, improve employee and student productivity, and boost economic vitality and development.

"Our mission at CHOICE is to strengthen equity and access in our local health systems and improve health outcomes for our communities. Our work is founded on collaboration across sectors, and understanding our communities, their inherent strengths, and building upon those to create an environment where everyone has the opportunity to be healthy," says CHOICE CEO, JP Anderson. "Blue Zones is a big investment centered around long-term return; this is about investing in children and generations to come."

The Blue Zones approach to community transformation

Blue Zones focuses on the single largest determinant of our health: the place we live. The Blue Zones Life Radius approach is a systems-focused model to make healthy choices easier in all the places people spend the most time so that it is easier to move naturally, connect with others, eat wisely, and connect with one's purpose. By focusing on the places where people live, work, learn, and play, Blue Zones has been able to move the needle in improving overall population health and happiness and reducing healthcare costs. Becoming a Blue Zones community is a three-phase process, and Blue Zones Activate (phase II) begins the foundational work of improving food policy and built environment policies immediately.

Ben Leedle, CEO of Blue Zones, says, "We are excited to begin work in Grays Harbor, Lewis, and Mason Counties, and to partner with CHOICE which has a proven success record of community collaboration. Policy change is the driving force behind Blue Zones Activate, because optimizing the built environment and food environment is a high-impact, sustainable strategy to reduce chronic disease and raise well-being at the community level. Higher well-being means healthier, happier residents, boosted economic vitality, a more productive workforce, and lower healthcare costs."

The Blue Zones team will soon begin working with local leaders and organizations to assess the strengths, needs, and challenges that residents of Grays Harbor, Lewis, and Mason counties are facing today. Blue Zones experts will visit the region to help create a transformation plan that, once implemented, can drive widespread improvements in overall population health, happiness, and well-being, reductions in healthcare costs, and improve economic vitality in the region. For more information on Blue Zones Activate Grays Harbor, Lewis, and Mason or to learn how to get involved, visit bluezones.com/activate-ghlm..

About Blue Zones®

Blue Zones employs evidence-based ways to help people live better, longer. The company's work is rooted in explorations and research done by founder and National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner in blue zones regions around the world, where people live extraordinarily long and/or happy lives. The original research and findings were released in Buettner's bestselling books The Blue Zones Solution, The Blue Zones of Happiness, The Blue Zones, Thrive, and Blue Zones Kitchen—all published by National Geographic books. Blue Zones works with cities and counties to make healthy choices easier through permanent and semi-permanent changes to human-made surroundings and systems. Participating communities have experienced double-digit drops in obesity and tobacco use and have saved millions of dollars in healthcare costs. For more information, visit bluezones.com.

About CHOICE Regional Health Network

CHOICE is a nonprofit organization charged with facilitating collective planning and collaboration with local healthcare leaders, community partners, and Tribal governments, and provides funding and support for regional health improvement programs and services. CHOICE also oversees our region's Accountable Community of Health (ACH), the Cascade Pacific Action Alliance (CPAA). ACHs promote health equity and address and coordinate care around social determinants of health.

Contact:
Naomi Imatome-Yun
Blue Zones
naomi@bluezones.com
917-952-8534

Erin Peck
Communications and Community Engagement Manager, CHOICE Regional Health Network &
Cascade Pacific Action Alliance
PeckE@crhn.org
360-539-7576 ext. 102

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SOURCE Blue Zones