Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield announced today that it has selected 10 small Iowa communities to receive site visits through the Blue Zones program. The communities chosen, each of which have fewer than 10,000 residents, are in addition to the initial large communities announced in February as possible Blue Zones demonstration sites.

The small communities selected are Algona, Audobon, Decorah, Fairfield, Harlan, Osage, Red Oak, Spirit Lake, St. Ansgar and Woodbine.

The Blue Zones Project is part of the Healthiest State Initiative launched in August 2011 to provide resources to selected communities to serve as demonstration sites for becoming healthier environments that promote exercise, healthful food choices and social networks. The project is based on a bestselling book, “Blue Zones: Lessons For Living Longer From The People Who’ve Lived The Longest” by Dan Buettner.

Wellmark had initially announced it would select 10 larger cities as demonstration sites, but following a Feb. 10 announcement of finalists for those sites said it would also provide opportunities for smaller communities to participate.

The smaller community strategy multiplies the opportunities to improve health and well-being across the state, Wellmark Executive Vice President Laura Jackson said in a release. “Wellmark supports any motivated Iowa community with the ultimate goal being to transform every Iowa community into a healthier place,” she said. Site visits to each community by Wellmark are expected to occur this summer.

A suite of online tools for any community to use can be found at www.bluezonesproject.com/communities/iowa.