Why Albert Lea?
The University of Minnesota helped design the right community size to select for the pilot project. After reviewing the demographic and health statistics of several small cities in Wisconsin and Minnesota, targeted cities were asked to apply and they competed to be the subject of the Vitality Project. Community leaders sent in comprehensive proposals explaining how they would help this project succeed. Albert Lea was selected as the pilot because: • Public health experts recommended piloting the project in a town of 10-20,000 people. Albert Lea has approximately 18,000 residents. • Elected officials, school administrators, the health care providers and employers in Albert Lea made a commitment to support community changes and to help individual residents make personal changes. • Albert Lea has statistically average health conditions for the United States so any other average city in America will be able to replicate this project. • Albert Lea is close to the headquarters of Blue Zones
