Blue Zones to conduct a comprehensive assessment and propose plan to help all residents live better, longer

MCALLEN, Texas, Feb. 3, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc. and Blue Zones, the global leader in longevity research and community well-being transformation, announced a partnership to launch Blue Zones Ignite^TM assessment in the Rio Grande Valley. The effort begins with an in-depth readiness and feasibility assessment of the Rio Grande Valley that will help determine how to make it a healthier place to live, work, play, pray and enjoy longer, better lives.

Blue Zones uses an evidence-based, environmental approach to making healthy choices easier in the places where people spend the most time. Blue Zones will work with Methodist Healthcare Ministries and other community leaders to conduct an in-depth readiness and feasibility assessment to determine how to make it a healthier place to live, work, and thrive. Together with the community, the Blue Zones team will assess readiness and build a plan for change.

"Our mission has always been to improve the health and well-being of the communities we serve, and bringing Blue Zones Ignite to the cities of Edinburg, McAllen, Mission and Pharr is a powerful step toward that vision," said Jaime Wesolowski, President & CEO of Methodist Healthcare Ministries. "This initiative will help us work hand-in-hand with local partners and residents to create environments that make healthy choices easier and more accessible—so that everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential for health and life."

The Blue Zones Approach

Blue Zones employs a proven solution in collaboration with communities to help people live better and longer lives. The company's work is based on research and principles developed by founder Dan Buettner, a National Geographic Fellow and New York Times bestselling author, who identified the cultures of the world – or blue zones – with the healthiest, longest-living populations.

The Blue Zones approach focuses on the largest determinant of health: the environment in which we live. Instead of focusing solely on individual behavior change, Blue Zones helps communities make permanent and semi-permanent changes to policies, systems, streets, surroundings, and social networks so it's easier for residents to eat wisely, move naturally, and connect more with others as they move throughout their day. By improving the Life Radius^®—the area close to home where most Americans spend 90% of their lives—Blue Zones transformations have been able to move the needle dramatically in improving overall population health and well-being. Participating communities have seen double-digit drops in obesity and smoking rates, economic investment in downtown corridors, grant funding awards to support policies and programs to improve health equity, and measurable savings in healthcare costs.

Ben Leedle, CEO of Blue Zones and Co-founder of Blue Zones Project, said: "Launching Blue Zones Ignite in the Rio Grande Valley is an exciting moment, and it's only possible because of the leadership of Methodist Healthcare Ministries. They have a bold vision for strengthening well‑being across South Texas, and we're excited to partner with them as this work begins."

The Blue Zones expert team will connect with local leaders and organizations to begin immediate work assessing the strengths, needs, and challenges that residents are facing today. Blue Zones will then create a policy-focused transformation plan that, once implemented, can drive widespread improvements in well-being, reductions in healthcare costs, and improve economic vitality in the region.

About Blue Zones

Blue Zones employs evidence-based ways to help people live better, longer. The company's work is rooted in explorations and research done by founder and National Geographic Fellow Dan Buettner in blue zones regions around the world, where people live extraordinarily long and/or happy lives. The original research and findings were released in Buettner's bestselling books The Blue Zones Solution, The Blue Zones of Happiness, The Blue Zones, Thrive, and Blue Zones Kitchen—all published by National Geographic books. A hit docuseries, Live to 100: Secrets of the Blue Zones, was released on Netflix in 2023. Using original Blue Zones research, Blue Zones works with cities and counties to make healthy choices easier through permanent and semi-permanent changes to our human-made surroundings. Participating communities have experienced double-digit drops in obesity and tobacco use and have saved millions of dollars in healthcare costs. For more information, visit www.bluezones.com.

About Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, Inc.

Methodist Healthcare Ministries broadens the definition of health care by providing low-cost clinical care for the uninsured and by supporting community-led efforts that improve living conditions that cause people to be sick in the first place. We use our earnings as co-owners of Methodist Healthcare to ensure that people who are economically disadvantaged and uninsured can live their healthiest lives. We do this by advocating for, investing in and providing access to quality clinical care and addressing factors that affect health—including economic mobility, supportive relationships, food security, broadband access, and safe neighborhoods. Ultimately, we fulfill our mission of "Serving Humanity to Honor God" by advancing health equity so that more resilient individuals & families living in the 74 counties we serve can thrive.

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SOURCE Blue Zones