Our community thrives on health and happiness. The combination of the two adds to the longevity and overall experience in a region. If you have been a Lynchburg resident for a few years, you may have noticed the growing number of community wellness initiatives, such as Live Healthy Lynchburg. These new community engagements were started to improve the all-around health of Lynchburg residents. In 2010, Lynchburg was ranked as the 8th most obese city in U.S. In light of these findings, residents gathered and made drastic lifestyle changes together. The end result of this has made an impact in a big way! According to a report from Gallup-Healthways, Lynchburg is now one of the top ranking cities for health and happiness. Here’s how we accomplished this.
Well-Being Index Report
Each year, Gallup-Healthways publishes a report ranking 189 communities based on their well-being. This report is apart of their State of American Well-Being Series. When Gallup-Healthways conducted their well-being index, they identified 5 key components:
- Purpose
- Social
- Financial
- Community
- Physical
Additionally, topics ranging from healthy eating to daily stress were all considered when rating a community for their comprehensive well-being. According to their findings, Lynchburg ranked in the top ten! We are proud to join the ranks of other health-focused cities. The full top ten included:
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- Naples, FL
- Barnstable Town, MA
- Santa Cruz, CA
- Honolulu, HI
- Charlottesville, VA
- North Port-Sarasota, FL
- San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
- Lynchburg, VA
- Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Beaufort, SC
- Boulder, CO
This is Lynchburg’s first year in the top ten. The new position exemplifies the developmental changes the community has undergone in the past year. The report further expands how each community ranked in each category, and we are proud of the findings!
- For “Purpose”, Lynchburg ranked #16.
- For “Social”, Lynchburg ranked #8.
- For “Financial”, Lynchburg ranked #14
- For “Community”, Lynchburg ranked #8
- For “Physical”, Lynchburg ranked #25
Overall, this combined for a Well-Being Index Score of 64.9 which is only two points behind first place, Naples, FL, who received a 66.3.
How did Lynchburg receive this rating? First, we launched Work Healthy Lynchburg which engages local companies to implement healthy employee initiatives. Some solutions Work Healthy Lynchburg offers include:
- Tips on healthy vending options
- Steps to Wellness guide
- An overview of local companies employee health plans
Lastly, the score testifies to the strength of our community. Michael Acker, general manager for Blue Zones Project at Healthways, describes the impact saying, “Where you live can impact your health and well-being. Innovative leaders are transforming their communities to create improvements in how people socialize, work, eat, play, and move.” This statement exemplifies Lynchburg as a community.
We are proud of our rating and are looking forward to how 2017 is going to further Lynchburg’s opportunities!