Get Healthy Utah News and Blog

Chet Loftis

R. Chet Loftis is the Managing Director of PEHP Health & Benefits, a public sector health plan that covers over 170,000 members. He is also the new Board Chair for Get Healthy Utah.

Good things don’t happen by chance. They require passionate and capable people who envision what could be, help others see the same, and work through the obstacles, complexities, and challenges to produce something of value.  

Get Healthy Utah is a thing of value—a gift, truly.   For the last 10 years, it has sought to unite the community around improving the health and wellbeing of all Utahns. As far as causes go, it may be hard to find a better or more important one, especially given the direction of current demographic trends.  

None of this would be possible without Greg Bell, who founded Get Healthy Utah and has served as Chair from its inception. Greg is a giant in our community. Someone that so many of us look up to and seek to emulate. Get Healthy Utah represents Greg’s commitment to make a positive, lasting impact on our community. A commitment that has taken shape and form as others have joined the cause with their energy and insights.

We live in a great place of good people and natural beauty. It is an honor to be part of a collective effort to improve the health and wellbeing of all Utahns. To feel pride in what has been done and to look forward to the opportunities ahead. Good things don’t happen by chance.

Morgan Hadden

Morgan is the Program Coordinator for Get Healthy Utah. She graduated from Utah State University with a B.S. and M.P.H in Health Education and Promotion. 

Chances are, your city or town is busy doing a lot of great things. Municipalities are often responsible for basic needs like keeping the water running, the roads clear and functioning, and providing police officers and firefighters and other public safety support. Our cities do a lot, and in many ways, they are the unsung heroes that protect our quality of life.

That’s why Get Healthy Utah, in partnership with the Utah League of Cities and Towns, created the Healthy Utah Community designation. Launched in 2020, the designation recognizes cities and towns that go above and beyond to improve their residents’ wellbeing. To date, 43 communities have been designated.

How to Earn the Designation

To earn the designation, cities and towns must demonstrate a strong commitment to community health. The mayor must sign a letter of commitment, the community must organize a health coalition, and several evidence-based health strategies must be in place throughout the city or town. The number of strategies needed depends on population size, but no matter what, they must improve access to healthy food, mental health resources, and opportunities to be physically active.

The designation is valid for three years, so the city must also create a three-year health plan that will help them get redesignated. City leaders look at health data for their residents, identify areas of high need, then choose new strategies to implement that will meet those needs. If they are successful in implementing the new strategies, then will qualify for redesignation when it’s time.

Who Can Earn the Designation

Any city or town throughout the state of Utah–no matter their population size–is eligible to apply for the designation. In certain instances, unincorporated areas like census-designated tracts or metro townships can also apply, but in these instances, we recommend reaching out to Get Healthy Utah first to confirm eligibility.

Smaller areas like neighborhoods, or larger areas like counties, can play a role in helping a community qualify. However, the current designation can only be awarded on a city or town level.

Benefits of Earning the Designation

The Healthy Utah Community designation is valuable for several reasons. First of all, the application process helps city leaders make their community a better place to live. It encourages the mayor to prioritize health, creates a coalition that leads to sustainable outcomes, and provides a list of evidence-based strategies that can be implemented to improve overall wellbeing.

Then, once the designation is earned, communities are recognized in front of statewide leaders at the Utah League of Cities and Towns Conference. The designation provides a way to communicate to both residents and other communities around the state about improvements being made. Local efforts too often go unnoticed, and the designation gives statewide recognition for amazing work.

And if that’s not enough, the Healthy Utah Community designation also qualifies cities and towns for mini-grants provided by Get Healthy Utah! The grants are flexible and can be used to improve outdoor infrastructure, provide recreational opportunities, or improve access to nutritious food and mental health resources.

Apply Today!

So don’t wait! The benefits of earning the Healthy Utah Community designation are numerous, and every city and town across the state is eligible to apply. To start your journey, visit www.GetHealthyUtah.org/HealthyUtahCommunity and email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for a fillable application. The application deadlines are March 1st and August 1st of each year.

Greg Bell

Greg Bell is the outgoing Get Healthy Utah Board Chair. Greg previously served as president of the Utah Hospitals Association and lieutenant governor for Utah.

In 2014, a group of us created Get Healthy Utah. Our first executive director, Sarah Hodson, along with an all-star board helped establish Get Healthy Utah’s excellent reputation as a leading advocate for healthy eating and active living among Utahns. 

Modern life is drowning society in highly processed, high-calorie food. Poor diet choices combined with diminishing physical activity levels lead to increasing rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers—even among teenagers and children. These conditions have sidelined too many of us from living active, healthy lives.

While Utahns are blessed with world-class healthcare, much of the disease and disability—such as some heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and some cancers—we suffer from could be avoided by eating a healthier diet and living more actively. The best medicine of all is healthy living! That’s why Get Healthy Utah has focused singularly on influencing the “upstream” determinants of health.

Without the constant generosity and support of the Utah Hospital Association, Get Healthy Utah would not be “alive and kicking” today. UHA’s financial, staff and political support has been life-sustaining—and has advanced our hospitals’ missions of supporting Utahns as they seek and maintain wellness in their personal lives. 

I express my warmest thanks to our many other partners who helped us along the way.

I will retire from my role as president of the Utah Hospital Association in December, and I will also step down as Chair of Get Healthy Utah. Chet Loftis, Managing Director of PEHP Health and Benefits, who recently joined our board, has agreed to become the next Chair. I will remain on the GHU board. Chet and I go way back, having practiced law together in the 1990s. Besides being a friend to everyone he knows, Chet’s genius for innovation and his enthusiasm for improving health and healthcare have put him at the center of healthcare and wellness policy work in Utah. Elisa Soulier will continue in her new role as Vice-Chair. Elisa is Director of Health and Well-Being at Castell, an affiliate of Intermountain Health. Thanks to Chet and Elisa for their willingness to serve. They’ll bring new vision and enthusiasm to our work.

Finally, my sincerest thanks to our current executive director Alysia Ducuara and Sarah Hodson, our first executive director and our incredible staff. They have been phenomenal at their jobs. What a privilege for me to work closely with them and see their intense commitment to our work.

All my best, Greg Bell

Cindy Nelson

Cindy is an Extension Associate Professor in Beaver County Utah with responsibilities in Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H. She loves the people she serves, and the variety of programs she is able to develop. Her main programming areas are health and wellness, youth leadership, and anything 4-H.

Regular physical exercise is one of the best things you can do to improve your health. Walking is a form of exercise that is available to most people, does not require any special equipment other than good supportive shoes, and can be fun to do with friends and family members. The Mayo Clinic reported the following benefits of regular walking: it can reduce the risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and depression.

One barrier to maintaining a consistent walking schedule can be a lack of time. Instead of adding extra activities into an already busy schedule, try incorporating more steps while at work and at home that will increase your activity level.

Here are some ideas to help you get started:

• Take the stairs instead of the escalator or elevator
• Set a timer to remind you to move every hour
• Take a break at work and walk around your building 
• Choose a parking spot further away from the entrance of stores, schools, etc.
• Play active games with your kids
• March in place while watching TV or while reading emails at work
• Carry your groceries in one bag at a time
• Walk while you talk on the phone, or when brushing your teeth
• Skip the drive-up window
• Walk your dog, or volunteer to walk someone else’s dog
• Turn up the music and dance
• Hide the remote so you must get up and move to change the TV channel
• Be forgetful, embrace the “old syndrome”, “baby brain”, or “too much on my plate condition” --- forget things, make several trips, quit being so organized, carry things up and down the stairs
• Forgo modern conveniences---wash your own car, mow your own lawn, vacuum your house

How many steps will you take today? Choose an idea from the list provided or identify a strategy of your own to increase your steps. Move more, walk more, and improve your health.