SAN MARCOS — The city of San Marcos is launching an initiative to make healthy choices easier for local residents, in partnership with longevity research company Blue Zones and local healthcare, housing, and education organizations.
Under the initiative, called Blue Zones Ignite, the company will work with local organizations to assess the strengths, needs, and challenges faced by local residents. The initiative will culminate in a policy-focused plan intended to improve well-being and economic vitality and reduce healthcare costs in the region, according to the city.
Rather than individual behaviors, Blue Zones will focus on the environments where residents spend most of their time to find ways to make it easier to eat wisely, exercise, and connect with others in the community.
While the assessment accounts for the city’s unique features and population, it uses a framework grounded in research on regions where the world’s longest-living people have been identified. These areas are referred to as “blue zones.”
“Blue Zones, at its core, has a mission of adding more good years, bringing longevity principles that are gonna help people and empower people to live better,” said Blue Zones Vice President of Business Development Margaret Brown.
San Marcos will be the first city in San Diego County to seek a Blue Zones designation. Similar programs have been launched in other parts of California and across the United States and have resulted in positive health outcomes, including lower rates of obesity and smoking, as well as reduced health care claim costs, according to Blue Zones.
The city will lead the initiative with healthcare provider TrueCare and senior service organization Gary and Mary West PACE.
Other involved organizations will include Affirmed Housing, C&C Development, the County of San Diego, HA Builders, Hitzke Development, Hope Through Housing, National CORE, Neighborhood Healthcare, Scripps Health, Stanbridge University, TERI Campus of Life, and the University of St. Augustine.
“We are proud of our leadership role in bringing Blue Zones to San Diego County,” said San Marcos Mayor Rebecca Jones. “San Marcos already has all the ingredients for living a long and healthy life. Going through the Blue Zones Ignite assessment will give us the data we need to continue on this path.”
TrueCare President and CEO Michelle Gonzalez said it’s important to consider other factors that affect health and well-being in the community, beyond access to medical care.
“We are proud to partner with the City of San Marcos and Blue Zones to help foster environments where healthier choices are made easier and more accessible for everyone. While we know that primary care is vital to health, it is shaped by the everyday experiences and surroundings that influence how people care for themselves and one another. This initiative marks an important step towards building a healthier future for our community.”
The Blue Zones Ignite initiative will begin with an assessment over the coming months, incorporating feedback from government officials, schools, nonprofits, hospitals, local organizations, and residents, as well as research on existing projects and efforts in the city.
Following the assessment, which will likely last around six months, Blue Zones will develop a report outlining a “community baseline” and recommendations for next steps, including the recommended implementation duration.
Recommendations that emerge from the initiative could range from infrastructure changes to community programs.
“We also look at and strive to meet the community where they are. We don’t come with a one-size-fits-all approach,” Brown said.
Residents can learn more about the project and how to get involved during a keynote event for the initiative on March 17 at the TERI Campus of Life, located at 555 Deer Springs Road in San Marcos.
For more information, visit bluezones.com/ignite-san-marcos.
1 comment
Sounds like a boondoggle to me. What is a blue zone? Not one example here.