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Chicago went into training Thursday with the goal of becoming the healthiest city in the nation.

By the 2016 Olympics, which Chicago hopes to host, "we're going to go from fattest to fittest," said James M. Galloway, assistant U.S. surgeon general. He is also the regional health administrator for Region V, which includes Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin.

He and health professionals from all over the Midwest gathered at the Hyatt Regency for Build a Healthier Community, a regional conference to share ideas on how to promote healthy living.

"We want to align various organizations with various methods, means and strategies," said Robert I. Herskovitz, U.S. deputy regional health administrator for the Region V's Office of Public Health and Science. Build a Healthier Community started in Chicago as a joint initiative by the Chicago Department of Public Health and the Chicago-based American Medical Association in February 2008.

Almost a year after the first meeting, the organization has now teamed up with other leading health promoters, including the American Dietetic Association, Chicago Mayor's Fitness Council, Northwestern University and the
Chicago Medical Society.

The two-day regional conference on nutrition and fitness seeks to educate leaders in the fields and highlight the importance of healthy eating, physical activity and controlling high blood pressure within their communities. The timing could not have been more fitting with the enthusiasm of a new government and the promise of change.

"With two days into the new administration, it's time to focus on health issues and make changes within the community," said Galloway in the opening remarks. "We now have opportunities we didn't have two
days ago. We now have reinforcement from the highest levels of our land to move ahead."

Through a series of different lectures and workshops about community engagement for health, health promotion and disease prevention in children and adolescents and promoting wellness in the workplace, the conference is about enabling a community to impact the individual.

"The idea is to start at the top targeting people who have the power to influence larger communities," said Galloway.
Individual changes are difficult. "It's hard in the morning not to hit that snooze button and go out running when its three degrees out," said Galloway.

According to Galloway, it is much more effective to start with changes on a more general level. Health care providers can reach each individual patient, but cannot guarantee a change. "We look at it as a holistic model of health and health care outside of the doctors to ensure that changes are being made," said Galloway.

The organization refers to it as an ecological approach to health beginning with schools, industry communities, residential high-rises and parks. The conference is only a small step in a much larger plan. As a short-term goal for this year, Building a Healthier Community is working to develop models in each of the mentioned ecological communities to show the wellness that can be achieved.

One example that is well on its way the Presidential Towers residential community in downtown Chicago. The building set up an indoor walking track, biking clubs, and is working with nearby restaurants and groceries stores, among other things, to motivate residents to lead a healthier life.

According to Herskovitz there are three steps to improving the health of a community: education, awareness and action. Right now Building a Healthier Community is "in the action stage," said Herskovitz. "Join us in changing the fabric of society and health in our nation," said Galloway.