Fairfield to participate in Start Somewhere Walk

Jefferson County Health Center and Hy-Vee Food and Drug Store are leading Fairfield?s participation in the Iowa Start Somewhere Walk, a 1-kilometer walk planned at noon Oct. 7 with the goal of 250,000 participating Iowans to break a world record.

Although local schools have been asked to organize participation in their neighborhoods, health center media relations coordinator Ginny Hughes said the main event is planned downtown. From Howard Park, participants will walk south on Main Street, east on Burlington Avenue and north on Court Street back to the park.

The Start Somewhere Walk is the symbolic kickoff to the Healthiest State Initiative announced by Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds in early August. The goal of the initiative is to make Iowa the healthiest state in the nation within five years as measured by the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. In 2010, Iowa ranked 19th compared to all other states.

?It?s an ambitious goal to jump 18 positions in five years, but if anyone can do it, Iowans can,? Branstad said.

?[The 7.5-block walk] is not going to solve the problem of health in the state of Iowa, but the goal is to get it started and to get people interested in getting out and getting some exercise,? Hy-Vee store director Randy Menke said.

By hosting the main walk downtown, Hughes hopes local merchants, banks and businesses will get involved in the event.

To pledge participation in the Healthiest State Initiative and the Start Somewhere Walk, Iowans can go to www.iowahealthieststate.com. Nearly 100 walks have already been scheduled, and Mayor Ed Malloy has challenged everyone on the city council to participate.

The current world record for participants in simultaneous one-kilometer walks is claimed by Canada, which had 231,635 walkers throughout that country in 2007.

  ?This Healthiest State Initiative will assist Iowans in learning about and applying proven methods to live longer, happier, and healthier lives,? Reynolds said. ?We control more than 70 percent of the factors that influence our health. It is within our power to make a positive difference in our lives.?

  Branstad also noted that addressing comprehensive lifestyle changes could allow the state to redirect as much as $16 billion over the next five years to grow the state economy ? versus being consumed by health care ($11 billion) and lost productivity ($5 billion). 

A centerpiece of the initiative will be the Blue Zones Project, through which people will transform their community and live measurably longer. To ignite this change, Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield will financially support the transformation of 10 Iowa communities into Blue Zones Communities over the next five years. Ultimately, all communities can become Blue Zones Communities by leveraging innovative tools accessible to all Iowans, attending the Blue Zones Institute to obtain knowledge, and participating in professional forums to share best practices from across the state.

The Healthiest State Initiative is a privately led, public effort that will engage Iowans and their communities throughout the state. It will involve individuals, families, businesses, faith-based organizations, not-for-profits and the public sector in a broad-based community-focused effort.

 Iowa health effort to focus on 10 communities

DES MOINES (AP) ? Gov. Terry Branstad and health insurance administrators announced plans Tuesday to identify 10 Iowa communities that will be designated as ?blue zones? for healthy lifestyles.

Branstad and Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield head John Forsyth announced at a news conference that communities across the state can apply for the designation and will be judged on their plans for establishing programs that help their residents adopt healthier lifestyles.

?We know from our research that if we truly want to improve our health, we have to start with our lifestyles and environment,? Forsyth said. ?We hope every Iowa community takes advantage of this unique opportunity.?

Interested groups have until late October to submit their application and the initial group of healthy communities will be selected in the spring.

Branstad and Forsyth say the initial communities selected can share their programs with residents of other cities.

?By making changes to our environment and social networks, Iowans can not only live longer, we can also live better,? Branstad said. Forsyth said his company has a built-in reason to push for healthier lifestyles but that it?s in everyone?s best interest.

?By making the healthy choice the easy choice, we can not only live longer we can live better with less disease and improved quality of life,? he said.

Forsyth and Branstad said a goal was to have all Iowa communities fit the description of a healthy community within five years, and the initial 10 would be a good beginning.

?I encourage all communities to participate by engaging citizens and submitting a statement of interest,? Branstad said.