NEW COMMUNITIES START THE JOURNEY TO BETTTER HEALTH AND WELL-BEING WITH BLUE ZONES PROJECT MOVEMENT IN HAWAII
(Pictured above, L-R) Wahiawa Community Champion Jeff Alameida, Rep. Della Au Belatti, Manoa/Makiki/McCully/Moiliili Community Champion AJ Halagao, Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell, HMSA CEO Michael Gold, Honolulu Councilmember Kymberly Pine, West Hawaii Community Champion Jasmin Kiernan, Hawaii County Councilmember Dru Kanuha, Central Maui Community Champion Ashley Takitani Leahey, and Maui County Mayor Alan Arakawa.
Five More Communities Selected to Partner in Community
Well-Being Improvement Initiative
Five communities across three islands will be the next to undergo the well-being transformation that Blue Zones Project® and HMSA first introduced to Hawaii two years ago. The newly selected communities, which were announced in a press conference on Thursday, January 12, include:
- Kapolei/Ewa, Oahu
- Manoa/Makiki/McCully/Moiliili
- Wahiawa, Oahu
- Wailuku/Kahului, Maui
- West Hawaii, Hawaii Island
These communities join North Hawaii and East Hawaii on Hawaii Island, as well as Koolaupoko on the Windward side of Oahu, which began their Blue Zones Project initiatives in 2015.
Blue Zones Project is a community-based well-being improvement initiative that uses scientifically proven lessons of longevity, health, and happiness to create vibrant communities and boost the well-being of their residents.
The newly added communities will gain access to national expertise and support from a local team of well-being consultants. During the three-year program, Blue Zones Project will support community engagement to create an environment that encourages well-being and continues to do so long into the future.
Community Excitement
“We are very proud that West Hawaii is joining East and North Hawaii as a Blue Zones community, making Hawaii County the first countywide demonstration project in the nation,” said Hawaii County Councilmember Dru Kanuha, who helped champion the movement to bring Blue Zones Project to West Hawaii. “West Hawaii has a strong heritage of healthy lifestyles. We host world-class canoe paddling, golf, tennis, and triathlon events. Our residents embrace active outdoor recreation. With this designation, we can continue learning and working together to make our island even healthier.”
“The good news is that we can now leverage all the good work that’s already being done in our communities to add years to your life and life to your years. Blue Zones Project will show us how to incorporate healthy practices from communities around the world where residents live longer than the average American into our lifestyle right here,” said Pastor Michael Brownfield of the 7th day Adventist Church in Manoa.
“Our community is a perfect fit for Blue Zones Project because the generations of local families here have a strong sense of `ohana,” added Ashley Leahey of Central Maui. “Our friends and neighbors are like family to us and we care for each other. With Blue Zones Project, we’ll be able to create a legacy of health consciousness that will positively impact our keiki and help all of our residents live happy, healthy lives.”
“I’m looking forward to rekindling the spirit of the Wahiawa community that emerged from the successes of the plantation days, in spite of hardships, to become the pineapple growing center of Hawaii and the home of so many successful families,” said David Seeholzer, Wahiawa resident and proud member of the Wahiawa Rainbow Seniors. “It is time for Wahiawa to re-establish itself as a vibrant center of Central Oahu and Blue Zone Project can help motivate that process.”
“I am so excited and proud to partner with Blue Zones Project to bring healthy lifestyle changes to our Kapolei and Ewa communities. We look forward to working together to continue transforming our Second City into an even better place to live, work and play,” said Councilmember Kymberly Pine, who represents the Kapolei/Ewa districts.
Community-based Selection Process
All five communities went through a competitive selection process over the summer. The original plan was to select two new sites but all of these communities demonstrated an impressive ability to take on the initiative and showed exceptional strength in their:
- Strong sense of community and ability to organize and collaborate with all sectors in a short amount of time.
- Strong commitment and readiness to carry out the scope of work involved in becoming a certified Blue Zones Community.
- Excellent understanding of Blue Zones Project concepts and what it means for the community.
- Outstanding leadership and engagement from all sectors, along with a strong foundation for developing new initiatives and building upon current initiatives.
“With each community showing so much enthusiasm and eagerness to work together for the same goal, our discussions quickly changed from which communities we’d select to how we could work with them all,” said Michael A. Gold, HMSA’s chief executive officer. “It’s an exciting time as we embrace this unique opportunity to transform health and well-being in our state. I’ve been amazed at the results other communities have achieved here in Hawaii and across the country. We look forward to working with organizations large and small, community members, and the Blue Zones Project team throughout this journey.”
Blue Zones Project in Hawaii
A vital part of HMSA’s commitment to improving the health of all of Hawaii, Blue Zones Project was brought to the state through an innovative sponsorship by HMSA, in collaboration with Healthways and Blue Zones, LLC.
Based on principles developed by Dan Buettner, National Geographic fellow and The New York Times best-selling author of The Blue Zones and The Blue Zones Solution, Blue Zones Project makes healthy choices easier through permanent changes to the built environment, policy, and social networks. Outcomes are measured by the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index®.
“Hawaii is a vibrant place with many opportunities for active living, and what we’re doing through Blue Zones Project provides the extra nudge that makes the healthy choice nearly inevitable,” said Buettner. “When the environment supports healthy choices, individuals can make significant improvements to their well-being without even realizing it. By partnering with HMSA, we’re tailoring Blue Zones principles to Hawaii’s communities and culture to have an even stronger impact.”
Next Steps
The newly selected communities will now begin building leadership teams and committees to work with schools, grocery stores, restaurants, worksites, faith-based organizations, and policy leaders to make the healthy choice the easy choice in their community. Kick-off celebrations for the general public will be held later this year to officially launch the Blue Zones communities.
“We’re looking forward to working with these new communities to help enhance quality of life, and tackle some of the health challenges we face, such as diabetes and obesity,” said Michael Acker, general manager of Blue Zones Project. “To date, we have over 200 organizations and more than 4,000 individuals involved with Blue Zones Project throughout Hawaii. Thanks to HMSA, we’re able to expand our efforts in bringing this nationally recognized well-being initiative to thousands more of our children, family, friends, neighbors, and organizations.”
For more information on Blue Zones Project in Hawaii or to learn how to participate, visit hawaii.bluezonesproject.com.
About HMSA
Caring for the people of Hawaii is our promise and our privilege. Working with employers, providers, government decision makers, and consumers, we aim to reach our Māhie 2020 vision of a community health system: a system to support the many health and well-being programs and projects that are already underway in our state. We reach out to people where they live, learn, work, and play, so we can empower each and every person to take control of their own health and well-being. HMSA is the most experienced health plan in the state, covering more than half of Hawaii’s population. As a recognized leader, we have a commitment to develop reliable, affordable health plans; support members with clear, thoughtful guidance; and embrace our responsibility to strengthen the health and well-being of our community.
About Blues Zones Project
Blue Zones Project is a community-led well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes to a city’s environment, policy, and social networks. Established in 2010, Blue Zones Project is inspired by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic fellow and The New York Times best-selling author who identified five regions of the world—or Blue Zones—with the highest concentration of people living to 100 years or older. Blue Zones Project incorporates Buettner’s findings and works with cities to implement policies and programs that will move a community toward optimal health and well-being. Currently, 36 communities in eight states have joined Blue Zones Project, impacting more than 2 million Americans. The movement includes three beach cities in California; 15 cities in Iowa; Albert Lea, Minnesota; the city of Fort Worth; and communities in Hawaii, Southwest Florida, Wisconsin, and Oregon. Blue Zones Project is a division of Healthways, a Sharecare company. For more information, visit www.bluezonesproject.com.
Blue Zones Project® is a trademark of Blue Zones, LLC. All rights reserved.
Gallup-Healthways Well-Being 5®. All rights reserved.
Healthways, Inc.®, is an independent company that provides well-being programs to engage members on behalf of HMSA.
