Ka‘ū News Briefs, Tuesday, May 10, 2022

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at. www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.

EAST KAʻŪ IS PART OF THE NEWLY CERTIFIED EAST HAWAI'I BLUE ZONES COMMUNITY. Blue Zones and HMSA reported Saturday on the new certification for seven communities following "a rigorous process that takes three to five years to complete and signifies a tipping point toward long-term well-being change." Blue Zones seek to increase longevity and look to those places in the world where people live well longest for inspiration and best practices.
    HMSA also released a video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXBEFRlWjtU. It describes "Hawai‘i’s positive impact and how the program is improving health and well-being across Hawai‘i."
    The statement describes Blue Zones Project as "a community-led, well-being improvement initiative designed to make healthy choices easier through permanent changes to lifestyle, environment, policy, and social networks. Since 2015, Blue Zones Project - Hawai‘i has impacted more than 738,000 residents, representing 50 percent of Hawai‘i’s population through the certification of Blue Zones Communities in North Hawai‘i, East Hawai‘i, West Hawai‘i, Central Maui, Kapolei-‘Ewa, Mānoa-Makiki-McCully-Mō‘ili‘ili, and Wahiawā."

Blue Zones have promoted a healthier diet through such images as this one, as well as recipes and cooking demonstrations.

    Kathy Morimoto, HMSA vice president of Clinical Integration and Community Health said, “We’re excited to see the great progress Blue Zones Project - Hawai‘i has made in improving the overall health and well-being within communities across the state. By encouraging and elevating communities as a whole to make healthier choices through permanent changes to lifestyle, environment, policy, and social networks, we are confident Blue Zones Project - Hawai‘i will continue to generate meaningful impact. It is our goal for family, friends, and neighbors to live their best lives.”

KTA became Blue Zones-approved in 2016, with various programs for healthy eating.

    The report from Blue Zones Project - Hawai‘i says it has seen dramatic positive outcomes since the baseline measurement year in 2015. Chronic disease factors such as BMI, nutrition, and life evaluation—proven to drive medical costs and productivity—have decreased by 8.8 percent. According to Sharecare’s annual state well-being rankings, Hawai‘i continues to be one of the ‘healthiest’ states in the country; however, there is much more work to be done to address health disparities across the state.
    With the help of community partners, transformations to food policy, tobacco policy, and the built environment have made significant improvements across the state, reports Blue Zones Project - Hawai‘i. It helped secure more than $200 million in grant funding towards improvements in policies, programs, and infrastructure projects, such as improving access to healthy food as well as pedestrian safety across the state through quick build projects.
    Blue Zones Project - Hawai‘i also reports that its volunteers provided in-kind service valued at $528,332 towards the betterment of the community and Blue Zones Project participating organization initiatives.
  To learn more about Blue Zones Project, contact the Blue Zones Project - Hawai‘i team at bluezonesprojecthawaii@sharecare.com or visit www.bzphawaii.com.

To read comments, add your own, and like this story, see www.facebook.com/kaucalendar/. See latest print edition at. www.kaucalendar.com. See upcoming events at https://kaunewsbriefs.blogspot.com/2022/04/upcoming-events-for-kau-and-volcano.html.