Riverside City Council
June 21, 2022

6/9/2022
1 Blue Zones Assessment ProgramKim Saruwatari and Geoffrey LeungRiverside University Health SystemCity of RiversideJune 21st, 2022 •Communities with high concentrations of people who live longer than average•Examples:–Sardinia, Italy–Okinawa, Japan–Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica–Ikaria, Greece–Loma Linda, CaliforniaBlue Zones1 2 6/9/2022
2 •Move naturally: environments encourage physical activity•Purpose: “why I wake up in the morning”•Down shift: regular relaxation that combats stress•80% rule: eating until 80% full•Plant slant: plant-heavy diet•Wine at 5: moderate alcohol with dinner•Right tribe: life-long friends with positive influence•Loved ones first: close multi-generational families•Belong: part of tight-knit (faith-based) communityBlue Zones: “Power 9” Lifestyle Habits Blue Zones Assessment •Utilizes Blue Zones principles to transform the health and well-being of cities and communities•Assessmentis the first of two phases of the Blue Zones program•Assessment is a 9- to 12-month process; involves gathering stakeholder input, data analysis, and policy review•Assessment includes a readiness evaluation to participate in a potential subsequent “certification program” 3 4
6/9/2022
3 Blue Zones Certification Program•Certification= 5 year+ transformation program that involves changes in people, places, and policies•At least 60 communities have participated in the Blue Zones certification program•Certification program focuses on making changes within the “Life Radius” (worksites, schools, restaurants, grocery stores, faith-based and civic organizations, policy) •Traditional approach to improving health focuses on changing individual behavior•Blue Zones approach takes a different approach of changing the surrounding environment to support and promote health•For example, placement of healthy options on a restaurant menu, placement of healthy sale items at a grocery checkout line, and implementation of local policies may all help to nudge behavior in small positive ways•Added together, small nudges across a community can result in big positive changesBlue Zones Approach5 6 6/9/2022
4 Fort Worth, Texas Blue Zones Certification Experience•Population: 927,720•Gallup Well-Being Index moved from #185 (out of 190) in 2014 to #58 in 2017–Decrease in smokingby 31.1%–Increase in regular exerciseby 16.8%–Increase in self-reported “thriving” by 14.3%–Increase in civic pride by 8.8% Fort Worth, Texas Blue Zones Certification Experience•Communities with greatest disparitiessaw greatest improvements•134Blue Zones approved worksites•66Blue Zones approved restaurants•47Blue Zones approved schools•Estimated $268 million savings (healthcare savings and improved workforce productivity)7 8 6/9/2022
5 Questions?Kim Saruwatari, MPHDirector of Public [email protected](951) 358-7036Geoffrey Leung, MD, EdMPublic Health [email protected](951) 358-50779