We have all been enamored by the “next best thing.” To be honest for years I put Blue Zones into that category. I mean let’s face it, no matter what we are not going to have the Pura Vida lifestyle of Nicoya Costa Rica, or the siestas, wine and olive oils of Sardinia, the terrain of Ikaria Greece or the diet of Okinawans. But truth leads to longevity (pun intended) of ideas and concepts. The Blue Zones had staying power. Year after year, their mission and projects kept popping up in my email inbox. One day, I decided to take a fresh look at the Blue Zones and find out why they keep telling me, a Delawarean, about the healthiest, longest-lived places on earth.
Blue Zones works with cities and counties by way of the Blue Zone Project, to make healthy choices easier through permanent and semi-permanent changes to our human-made surroundings. Participating communities have experienced double-digit drops in obesity and tobacco use and have saved millions of dollars in healthcare costs.
I didn’t realize that Blue Zones employs evidence-based ways to help people live better, longer. Being science driven in everything I do I thought, “tell me more.” Blue Zones research done by Dan Buettner and National Geographic explorers, demonstrates that where people live has a bigger influence on their health than their genetics, commonly called the “zip code effect.” The Blue Zones approach focuses on this largest determinant of health using scientifically proven lessons of longevity, health, and happiness gleaned from 20 years of research.
Why BZP is not just “the next big thing.”
It is proven that behavior change is very hard to maintain. Asking someone to do something different does not usually result in sustained benefits. We see this all the time in weight loss, we even have a term for it, yo-yo dieting. BZP is different in that it makes the healthy choice the easy choice by working with the built environment around where people live, work and play. Through policy, infrastructure and community connections measurable and sustained health and well-being outcomes have been proven in the cities and regions that BZP has advised.
After deep diving into the results BZP has had in their communities there was only one thing I could do, get my like-minded tribe to make this happen, Partners for Wellbeing was born. Rita Williams, Kim Blanch and I went to work socializing the idea, talking to any group that asked, meeting with Chambers, city officials, county officials, state officials, potential funders, potential volunteers, those who are doing amazing work already in the health and well-being space, newspapers, magazines, WBOC and the momentum built.
Next Steps for Sussex County the Ignite Assessment Phase
Partners for Wellbeing, The United Way of Delaware and The Delaware Division of Services for Aging and Adults with Physical Disabilities (DSAAPD) the primary sponsor supporting the first phase, are kicking off the Blue Zones Ignite. The Blue Zones team, made up of global experts in food systems, built environment, and other sectors, will connect with select leaders, organizations and community members within Sussex County’s wide network to begin immediate work assessing the strengths, needs, and challenges that residents are facing today. Blue Zones experts will then work with local leaders and residents to build a plan for change. The BZP national team will be in Sussex County October 7-9thmeeting with key stakeholders, touring our county, and learning about our unique goals and challenges.
If you want to learn more about the Blue Zones Ignite or to learn how to get involved, visit Ignite Sussex County – Blue Zones [https://www.bluezones.com/ignite-sussex-county/
And to learn more about what the BZP has done in other areas visit https://info.bluezonesproject.com/home