Healthy Toledo Mission and Story

Holy Toledo!—“Healthy Toledo” Is a Big Success

Toledo, Ohio, bills itself as the “crossroads of America” because the metropolis lies at the busy intersection of Interstate 90 and Interstate 75. The health of its 300,000 citizens has been at a crossroads, as well. This blue-collar city has the highest adult smoking rate in the country—31 percent—and was ranked 98th out of the 100 best and worst cities for men by Men’s Health magazine. Annual health-care costs per Toledo employee are double the national average ($15,000 versus $7,500).
The shaky health of Toledoans was prominent in the minds of government, medical, and religious leaders in that community. Something needed to be done, which is how the “Healthy Toledo” initiative began—as a shared vision between Tony Scott, senior pastor of The Church on Strayer in Maumee, Ohio, and Jordan Rubin, a best-selling author and speaker on health issues.
Pastor Scott, who’s practiced and promoted balanced living to his congregation and community for over thirty years, first opened the door for Jordan Rubin to speak at The Church on Strayer (formerly known as the Cathedral of Praise) in the summer of 2006. Rubin is the author of the New York Times best-selling book, The Maker’s Diet, as well as the Great Physician’s Rx for Health and Wellness series.
That weekend, Pastor Scott and Rubin discussed their mutual desire to see the health of Toledo residents improved. As they batted ideas back and forth, they developed a vision to help people make a U-turn in their lives and lose weight, improve their fitness, and become much healthier. Rubin formulated a wellness program that would address diet and nutrition, supplementation, exercise, healthy snacking, and practical and spiritual education.
Pastor Scott and Rubin also created a team consisting of church staff and medical, fitness, and nutrition professionals. Led by Melony Bradley, Wes Taylor, and Dr. Tom Baur, the Healthy Toledo team was tasked with administration of Rubin’s program and providing education and support to participants. An associate of Rubin’s, Stephen Nepa, joined the team as well.
The Healthy Toledo campaign was launched with a twelve-week pilot program in the spring of 2007. “While Jordan and the team were confident the program could be a success,” said Nepa, “we purposed to not only see lives participants transformed but to quantify their change in health and validate the Healthy Toledo program. Therefore, qualitative and quantitative measures were put into place.” At the beginning of Healthy Toledo and at the end, measurements of participants’ blood pressure, weight, waist circumference, percentage body fat, and BMI were taken, and those who signed up were also asked to complete “before and after” health surveys and write essays about their experience with Healthy Toledo.
The results of Healthy Toledo—both measured and anecdotal—were quite significant. In less than eleven weeks, 126 participants lost over 1,700 pounds, improved their blood pressure, and decreased their body fat and Body Mass Index in just eleven weeks. Beyond the testimonials of having more energy, sleeping better, moving easier, and overcoming illnesses, the statistics themselves were worthy of review. For instance, the average weight loss among the 126 participants was 13.5 pounds in less than eleven weeks. In addition: 
• The top 3 participants (ranked by weight loss) decreased their weight by an average of 43.7 pounds.
• The top half of participants (63 participants) lost an average 20.0 pounds.
• The 80 individuals who’s Body Mass Index placed them in the “obese” or “overweight” body type category lost an average of 16.7 pounds.
The average body fat loss for the 126 individuals was 4.3 percentage points, or a 14.9 percent improvement. As an example, this means that an individual with 34.3 percent body fat at the initial weigh-in dropped to 30 percent body fat eleven weeks later. The Healthy Toledo participants lost an average of 3.1 inches off their waists.
In terms of blood pressure, 77 percent of the 126 Healthy Toledo participants showed a reduction in systolic, diastolic, or both readings. The average reduction was 9.6 mmHg in systolic and 11.2 mmHg in diastolic readings. In essence, Healthy Toledo participants lost around 10 points in their systolic and diastolic pressure readings, and 25 percent saw their blood pressure fall below 140/90, which signifies hypertension or high blood pressure.
Seventy of the 126 participants were women, or 55 percent. These women lost, on the average 10.8 pounds and a total of 5.5 inches from their waist and hips. Women also lost, on the average, 4.1 percent of body fat. In addition, 22 women fell from “obese” to “overfat” or from “overfat” to “healthy” body type categories, and 58 women (83 percent) put themselves in the “healthy” or “underfat” category.
Just over 100 participants completed health surveys before and after the program. Here are some of their noteworthy responses:
• 69 percent reported feeling more refreshed upon waking, and 43 percent reported that it was easier for them to fall asleep
• 65 percent reported an increase in energy, while 49 percent reported a decrease in aches and pains
• 75 percent reported that they were healthier, and 50 percent reported they were happier
• 43 percent reported a decrease in symptoms of abdominal distension, such as gas or bloating, while 42 percent reported a decrease in occasional heartburn
• 30 percent reported an improvement in their immune system
Healthy Toledo had become an unqualified success. The participants celebrated the completion of the program—and the beginning of a new direction in their lives—at Freedom Fest, a celebration hosted by The Church on Strayer on the weekend before the Fourth of July. Thirteen participants who showed the most commitment and marked change were announced as winners of the Healthy Toledo “transformation” contest before thousands attending the Freedom Fest event. The grand-prize winner, Kari Diepenhorst, lost 44 pounds and won an all-expenses paid trip to a Weekend of Wellness seminar hosted by Jordan Rubin in Florida, as well as a year’s supply of whole food nutritional supplements provided by Garden of Life.
 The Healthy Toledo event during Freedom Fest was covered locally by the Toledo Blade newspaper and in a news feature on the ABC affiliate, WTVG-TV. Tony Scott and Healthy Toledo participant Pat Cannon, who lost an astounding 40 pounds in less than three months, were interviewed on the “Your Saturday Morning” show on the CBS affiliate, WTOL. Media inquiries and coverage came from Woman’s World, Quick & Simple, and First for Women. Jordan Rubin’s interviews of Healthy Toledo participants were prominently featured on his 30-minute television program, “Extraordinary Health,” which airs weekly on the Trinity Broadcasting Network on cable TV.
Following the triumphs of the Healthy Toledo pilot program, the decision was made to take the program to the greater metropolitan area of Toledo. The Healthy Toledo leadership is currently working to develop partnerships in government, corporate, academic, medical, retail, and religious communities. Team leader Dr. Tom Baur is also working to create “Healthy Toledo Hubs” throughout the city. These hubs will allow participants to meet in small groups and create interaction between participants, businesses, and community centers.
Through strong church support, media exposure, newsletters, an online presence, and word of mouth, interest in Healthy Toledo is growing and has spread beyond northwest Ohio. Inquiries have come in from as far away as Louisiana, Georgia, and Oregon. “It seems Ohio cannot contain this movement and for good reason,” said Nepa. “We see the Toledo campaign serving as the blueprint for a nationwide effort called Perfect Weight America, launching in January 2008 with the release of Jordan Rubin’s new book, Perfect Weight America. The results of the Healthy Toledo initiative were quite a turnaround for this medium-sized city, which has a reputation for its unhealthy ways.”
When Healthy Toledo came along, the needle of health budged off “totally unhealthy” by a few degrees. So was Healthy Toledo a mere pebble thrown into a large lake or the start of a ripple effect that touches shorelines far from the city’s borders? That’s a great question, and while no one has the answer at the moment, there's no doubt that the Healthy Toledo initiative launched at The Church on Strayer made a difference. Those who participated were given the tools to make a difference in their lives, the lives of their loved ones, and the lives of those living in their community.

Best wishes on your health journey!

The Healthy Toledo Team