Organizers decided the best way to get a group of people to get healthy was to get the entire city of Albert Lea Minnesota to commit to getting more fit, through improving their diets and getting more exercise. Albert Lea itself helped by doing 5 years of sidewalk and bike trail construction in only one season.
The city of Albert Lea with its population of 18,000, has rates of heart disease, obesity and diabetes that are consistent with other average towns. About 40% of Albert lea residents are overweight and around 30% have high blood pressure.
The goal of the experiment, sponsored by United Health Foundation and AARP, was to get residents of Albert Lea to live longer and healthier lives. The strategy was to get people to eat more fruits and vegetables and to walk instead of drive when they could. The organizers have gotten around 20% of the Albert Lea residents to commit.
The focus has been to create a sense of community involvement by making social connections. Forming walking groups and cycling clubs have helped to get more people involved, and give support and incentive to keep people participating.
Working with restaurant owners in Albert Lea to change their menus to healthier food has also been a focus of the organizers. Other local businesses have also gotten involved by promoting more exercise with at work exercise programs and better diets.
Even the Albert Lea schools have gotten involved by not serving sugar treats for birthdays, and with by getting adult residents to volunteer to walk with groups of kids to and from school, instead of riding the bus.
The goal of the organizers is to get enough involvement, and enough motivation to keep the effort going after the promoters left town, last October. The key will be if they keep it up on their own.
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