Heart of New Ulm Helps Residents Live Healthier

NEW ULM, Minn. (AP) - A Minnesota community is celebrating national recognition of its 10-year effort to eliminate heart attacks.

Reports say the Heart of New Ulm Project won a 2014 Nova Award from the American Hospital Association last month. Residents of New Ulm will celebrate the achievement and the project's sixth year Tuesday.

Allina Health, the Minneapolis Heart Institute Foundation and the community of New Ulm collaborated on that project. It aims to provide support and ideas to people who want to get healthy.

Many restaurants in New Ulm joined the effort by adding healthier options to their menus and incorporating healthier ingredients in existing dishes.

Data from the New Ulm Medical Center shows the rate of heart attacks and cardiovascular deaths in the community have declined since the project launched in 2009.