A communitywide effort to make healthy living easier and more accessible for all

Dear colleagues,

Today, the UT System Board of Regents approved an agreement between UTMB and Blue Zones to bring the Blue Zones Project to Galveston.

This is an important next step in our long-standing commitment to the health and vitality of the communities we serve—especially Galveston, where UTMB was founded. For nearly 135 years, UTMB has been woven into Galveston’s history while growing to serve patients, learners, and communities across the state.

What is the Blue Zones Project?

The Blue Zones Project is a comprehensive, research-informed population health initiative that helps communities improve well-being, resilience, and economic vitality by shaping environments so that healthy choices are easier and more accessible for everyone.

The work is based on research led by Blue Zones founder Dan Buettner, who studied places around the world known as “blue zones,” where people live longer, healthier lives. One of the key insights from this work is that where people live has a greater impact on their health than their genetics. Blue Zones Project therefore focuses on what they call the Life Radius®—the area close to home where people spend about 90% of their lives.

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, and
• Measurable savings in health care costs.
  

How UTMB will help lead this work

Last year, UTMB spearheaded the Blue Zones Ignite assessment, working alongside more than 24 community partners to evaluate Galveston’s readiness for a communitywide approach to well-being. This included an in‑depth Blue Zones analysis of community needs, opportunities, and potential impact.

With the Board of Regents’ approval, UTMB will now help lead the launch of Blue Zones Project – Galveston as a multi-year initiative. The first six to nine months will be a foundation phase focused on:

• Building a local Blue Zones Project team
• Conducting detailed planning and data review
• Engaging residents, organizations, and local leaders
• Developing strong partnerships across the island
  

As part of this work, UTMB will also begin integrating Blue Zones principles within our own organization. As Galveston County’s largest employer—and as a health system with campuses and clinics across Texas—we will introduce the Blue Zones framework to employees, explore ways to strengthen food environments and social connection, and identify workplace practices that support healthier living.

This phase will also establish a foundation for research and innovation. UTMB’s academic mission positions us to study outcomes, measure impact, and develop models that can inform similar efforts statewide and nationally.

Blue Zones will recruit and train staff from the Galveston community, and the foundation phase will conclude with a large kickoff event marking the start of full implementation.

Invitation: March 5 community meeting at William C. Levin Hall Auditorium

As members of the UTMB community, you play a critical role in the success of the Blue Zones Project in Galveston. I invite and encourage you to attend an upcoming community meeting to learn more:

Blue Zones Project – Community Meeting

Date: Thursday, March 5
Time: 5:30 to 7:00 p.m.
Location: William C. Levin Hall Auditorium – Galveston Campus, 1006 Market St., Galveston, TX 77550

This session will cover:

• What the Blue Zones Project is and how it works
• Why Galveston was selected
• How UTMB and our partners will be involved
• Ways you, your school/department, and students may be able to participate over time
  

All employees, students, and residents, community partners, and local leaders are invited. Your presence will demonstrate UTMB’s commitment to this work alongside our neighbors.

What this means for you

Our mission extends well beyond the walls of our hospitals, clinics, classrooms, and laboratories. The Blue Zones Project gives UTMB a proven framework to support well‑being in Galveston, while advancing work that can benefit communities across our organization.

Thank you for all you do for our patients, learners, and our communities. I am grateful for your partnership as we begin this important work together.

Sincerely,

Jochen Reiser, MD, PhD

UTMB President
CEO, UTMB Health System
Professor, John Sealy School of Medicine
John D. Stobo, MD Distinguished Chair