Upper Napa Valley Becomes Certified Blue Zones Community

More than 2,500 individuals supported local community transformation through 
Blue Zones Project

ST. HELENA, Calif., Oct. 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Blue Zones, LLC announced today that Upper Napa Valley, California, has been designated a certified Blue Zones Community^®. Certification recognizes Upper Napa Valley's measurable well-being transformation through the successful implementation of Blue Zones Project^® and its culminating impact across the community.

Brought to Upper Napa Valley by Adventist Health in 2021, Blue Zones Project is a pioneering population health initiative that brings evidence-based best practices in aligning well-being policies, placemaking and social connection to participating communities to make healthy choices easier.

"This milestone is a testament to the commitment and collaboration of local schools, city government, businesses, and residents in creating a healthier, happier place to live. We are proud to support Blue Zones Project and look forward to seeing the continued positive impact on the well-being of everyone in Upper Napa Valley," said Dr. Steven Herber, President of Adventist Health St. Helena.

Since March 2021, individuals and organizations across the Upper Napa Valley have worked together to achieve certification status, and their investment in well-being is paying off. Upper Napa Valley earned the designation by achieving Project benchmarks in areas including resident and employer engagement rates, well-being scores, and the adoption and implementation of community policies that can improve population health.

As a result of its efforts, Upper Napa Valley has made it easier for residents to move naturally, eat wisely, develop healthy social connections, and live with purpose. The community reports higher well-being and lower health risks than the nation and state of California across all five well-being domains—Community, Social, Purpose, Physical, and Financial—as measured by the Sharecare Community Well-Being Index. A sustained improvement of one-point in overall well-being is associated with 1% reduction in the total health-related costs of the population.  Higher sustained improvement is related to the near-term reduction in the incidence and prevalence rates of chronic disease.

In addition, community residents actively engaged with Blue Zones Project showed even higher well-being across all domains since 2021. Highlights include:

• A 7-point increase in community well-being report among residents engaged with the Project between 2021 and 2024;
• Financial well-being is up 8.6-points and social well-being is up 5.9-points among engaged residents since 2021;
• A 3.9-point increase in physical well-being among engaged residents since 2021;
• Improved WalkScores in both Calistoga and Yountville, up two points and 6 points respectively; (Higher walkability in neighborhoods is associated with decreased rates of obesity and diabetes.)
• An 8.2-miles trail increase through the Vine Trail project;
• At least $600,000 in avoided medical and lost productivity costs were gained over the last three years.

On an overall basis, well-being in the Upper Napa Valley increased over baseline. This overall improvement was achieved in the face of a declining level of well-being for the state of California.

These impressive results are the direct result of the participation of more than 2,500 individuals (14% of the population) and more than 20 organizations who implemented Blue Zones Project best practices, programs, and activities. Ninety-seven new community policies, plans, and strategies were adopted to improve the built environment, reduce tobacco use, and increase healthy food access.

Blue Zones Project has been instrumental in bringing together local partners to improve well-being. Six area schools (100% of the region's elementary schools) implemented policies and introduced food options that encourage healthy eating onsite, integrated more physical activity into the day, and incorporated other Blue Zones best practices to positively impact more than 1,630 students. Four local restaurants added 16 Blue Zones-inspired dishes to make healthier choices easier while dining out. Blue Zones Project healthy cooking classes saw more than 400 individuals attend. Built environment projects like traffic calming demonstration pop-ups and improved wayfinding materials helped residents move safely throughout the community, among other policy initiatives.

Ben Leedle, CEO of Blue Zones and Co-founder of Blue Zones Project said: "We are thrilled to celebrate Upper Napa Valley's certification as a Blue Zones Community^®. This achievement reflects the dedication and collaboration of the local team, residents, businesses, and organizations in creating an environment where healthy choices are easy and accessible. During a global pandemic when well-being was on a steep decline across the country, Upper Napa Valley was able to hold steady and make strides to creating a healthier, happier community."

"Achieving Blue Zones certification in the Upper Napa Valley is a remarkable accomplishment, reflecting the dedication and hard work of everyone involved. The journey has been about more than just promoting healthier lifestyles—it's about fostering a sense of community and long-term well-being. I'm incredibly proud of what we've achieved together and excited to see how our community partners will continue to transform lives in the future," said Karla Newton, Director of Operations, Blue Zones Project.

As a Certified Blue Zones Community, the Upper Napa Valley has a strong foundation of well-being to support health and promote longevity throughout the community. Going forward, community leaders plan to build upon the groundwork laid by Blue Zones Project for Upper Napa Valley's ongoing progress toward optimal health and well-being.

For more information, visit uppernapavalley.bluezonesproject.com.

About Blue 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. Blue Zones Project is based on research by Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow and New York Times best-selling author who identified five cultures of the world—or blue zones —with the highest concentration of people living to 100 years or older. The 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. Blue Zones launched its first pilot community in 2009 in Albert Lea, MN with groundbreaking results. In partnership with Sharecare, the model has since been applied to more than 75 communities across North America, impacting more than 4.35 million citizens. The population health solution includes two Health Districts in California; 15 cities in Iowa; the city of Fort Worth, Texas; Corry, Pennsylvania; Brevard, North Carolina; Walla Walla Valley, Washington; and communities in Southwest Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Wisconsin. For more information, visit www.bluezonesproject.com.

About Blue Zones Project Upper Napa Valley
Blue Zones Project was brought to the Upper Napa Valley through an innovative sponsorship with Adventist Health and Blue Zones, LLC. Adventist Health is a faith-based, nonprofit integrated health system serving more than 80 communities on the West Coast and Hawaii, as well as others across the U.S. through its Blue Zones^® organization, a pioneer in taking a systemic and environmental approach to improving the health of entire cities and communities. Through this work and other initiatives, Adventist Health is leading a 21st century well-being transformation movement.

CONTACT:
Naomi Imatome-Yun
[email protected]
917.952.8534

SOURCE Blue Zones