Ypsilanti residents may die up to 22 years sooner on average than Ann Arbor residents, according to data collected by the Washtenaw County Health Department. But a new project called the Ypsilanti Healthy Living Pledge aims to help Ypsi residents take charge of their own health through education, small lifestyle changes, and incentives for eating healthy at local restaurants.

The Ypsilanti Healthy Living Pledge is organized by the Ann Arbor-based nonprofit Washtenaw Optimal Wellness (WOW), which focuses on health education and increasing health literacy in Washtenaw County. 

“One of WOW’s main objectives is to make healthier choices easier for people,” says WOW President Jeff Tritten. “We designed the Healthy Living Pledge to give people an incentive to make healthier choices.”

Residents can join the Ypsilanti Healthy Living Pledge for an annual fee of $17, although membership is also available for free or “pay what you can.” Those who join receive access to an online hub offering health education reading materials and videos, practical health tips, healthy recipes, and opportunities to connect with other pledge participants. They also receive discounts of 10% to 20% at several participating local restaurants and food businesses.

Although WOW also plans to introduce a Healthy Living Pledge for Ann Arbor, Tritten says health disparities in Washtenaw County made it important to launch the Healthy Living Pledge in Ypsi. He points to the stark life expectancy disparities noted by the county health department, emphasizing that they’re also racial disparities. The Ypsi census tracts with lower life expectancies also have significant Black populations, compared to the much whiter populations in Ann Arbor’s higher-life-expectancy tracts.

“My personal goal is to empower the marginalized groups in Ypsilanti to bridge the gap because the system isn’t working,” Tritten says.

Lifestyle medicine and SMART goals

The pledge, and WOW’s work in general, are grounded in the concept of lifestyle medicine, which focuses on improving health through lifestyle changes. Lifestyle medicine interventions are categorized by six “pillars”: nutrition, physical activity, stress management, restorative sleep, avoiding risky substances, and social connection. WOW encourages people to use the acronym “SMART” to set health goals, ensuring goals are specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-based.

“First, a person has to be motivated to improve their own health before lifestyle choices can even take root,” says WOW Vice President Howard Schep. “Our website explains the six pillars of lifestyle medicine in succinct yet clear language. The Healthy Living Pledge website encourages individuals to set simple healthy goals and offers the tools to succeed with their goals.”

One of the Healthy Living Pledge’s most unique incentives is its member discount program for seven local food businesses: B-Cubed Bakery, Bridge Community Cafe, Detroit Street Filling Station, Maiz Mexican Cantina, Plant-Based Coneys, Planted Detroit, and the Ypsilanti Food Co-op. Tritten solicited the restaurants’ participation, while Schep, a longtime Ypsilanti Food Co-op supporter and volunteer, engaged the co-op in the program.

“American families are not eating together in their own homes,” Schep says. “Eating out is now the new normal. … Clearly, local food retailers can play a vital role in making healthier choices easier.”

Corinne Sikorski, general manager of the Ypsilanti Food Co-op, says the Ypsilanti Healthy Living Pledge was a natural fit for her organization.

“Ypsi Food Co-op was founded in our community over 50 years ago by people interested in helping themselves and their families obtain good, healthy food, and this aligns with the same intent of people helping themselves,” she says.

Building a healthy community

Tritten and Schep say fostering a sense of community is crucial to the Ypsilanti Healthy Living Pledge’s long-term success. They intend to offer pledge participants opportunities to connect with each other online, as well as through in-person events like WOW’s weekly two-mile “Walk With Friends” group walks through downtown Ypsi. Tritten says WOW also plans to offer classes and plant-based neighborhood potlucks for participants.

“It is very difficult to make behavioral changes without social support,” he says. “We are often a product of our environment, and without support, desired changes can get pushed aside. As an example, if one person in a household wants to eat healthy, but the rest of the household doesn’t support this and wants to eat fast food, it is difficult to go it alone. This is where social support makes a difference.”

Schep agrees, asserting that a sense of community will give Ypsilanti Healthy Living Pledge participants accountability for their healthy lifestyle changes.

“Positive health results gets you to the 50-yard line, but a supportive group makes the change permanent,” he says. “… By making healthier lifestyle choices easier, WOW hopes to help people in the Ypsilanti community improve their health in a consistent and positive direction.”

More information on the Ypsilanti Healthy Living Pledge is available here.