Courtesy of USDA
Courtesy of USDA
(Above) Albert Lea, Minn., has new walking paths
and a revitalized, walkable downtown.
(Below) The Blue Zones project held a walking
event to kickoff its pilot program in Albert Lea.
Walking
Leads to Better Health
By Tracey C. Velt
Minnesota is known for its healthy ways. After all, it’s ranked as the sixth healthiest state in the United States, according to America’s Health Rankings by the United Health Foundation. However, the
small town of Albert Lea, Minn., wasn’t experiencing
that same success.
“Our county health indicators were well below the average in our state,” says Ellen Kehr, the organizational
lead of the Blue Zones Project in Albert Lea. “We tried
smaller programs to encourage exercise but realized that
we needed to take a bold look at building a culture of
well-being so these programs can thrive.”
Enter the Blue Zones Project, which through policy
and programs aims to transform communities across
the United States into areas where the healthy choice
is easy, and people live longer with a higher quality of
life. Albert Lea was a pilot program in 2009. Blue Zones
has since successfully worked with Hermosa, Redondo
and Manhattan Beaches, Calif., and the state of Iowa.
“When it comes to the built environment, it’s about making walking the natural and easy choice by implementing
