UTMB to host Blue Zones Project community meeting March 5

UTMB will lead the multiyear, island-wide initiative beginning this month with a six- to nine-month foundation phase that emphasizes planning, data review, community engagement, and recruiting local staff rooted in Galveston.

The Blue Zones Project is a research-informed population health initiative designed to help communities improve well-being, resilience, and economic vitality by shaping environments that make healthy choices easier for residents. Based on work by Blue Zones founder Dan Buettner, the project focuses on a community's "Life Radius®" - the places people live, work, learn, and gather that most influence health outcomes.

In communities where the Blue Zones Project has been implemented, there has been:

• Significant reductions in obesity and smoking rates

• Increased economic investment in local corridors

• New grant funding to support policies and programs that expand access to health and wellness resources

• Measurable savings in health care costs

UTMB led the Blue Zones Ignite assessment in 2025 with more than two dozen local partners to evaluate Galveston's readiness for a communitywide approach to well-being.

UTMB President and Health System CEO Dr. Jochen Reiser said the project gives the institution a proven framework to support health and vitality across Galveston by making healthy living more accessible and sustainable.

The Blue Zones community meeting, which is open to the public, will cover:

Blue Zones Community Meeting

Date: Thursday, March 5
Time: 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Location: William C. Levin Hall Auditorium - Galveston Campus, 1006 Market St., Galveston, TX 77550