Inglewood Bids to Become America's Second Blue Zone City, Powered by InBody

Inglewood Bids to Become America's Second Blue Zone City, Powered by InBody

PR Newswire

CERRITOS, Calif., Oct. 8, 2026

CERRITOS, Calif., Oct. 8, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- InBody today announced the launch of a one-year fall prevention pilot with the City of Inglewood and the University of Southern California (USC), deploying its Fall Risk Assessment (FRA) system to help reduce fall risk among Inglewood seniors. The Inglewood City Council unanimously approved the initiative, which is backed by approximately $400,000 in city funding and supports Inglewood's goal of becoming the nation's second Blue Zone city.

Becoming a Blue Zone is among the most ambitious commitments a city can make. Of the world's five Blue Zones, only one sits on American soil, and Inglewood intends to become the second. The designation is earned over years rather than awarded, and it demands sustained change across an entire population. The city is starting where the stakes are highest: falls rank among the fastest contributors to lost independence in older age, and reducing them stands as an early, measurable test of Inglewood's resolve.

Inglewood's focus on falls is well founded: falls are the leading cause of injury and injury-related death among adults aged 65 and older in the United States, with one in four older adults experiencing a fall each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Falls contribute to more than $50 billion in annual U.S. healthcare costs, with the majority borne by Medicare and Medicaid. Yet more than 80% of fall risk factors are detectable months before a fall occurs. Traditional screenings, however, often identify them only after functional decline has already set in. The InBody FRA system was built to close that gap, delivering an objective, integrated assessment of the sensory, nervous, and musculoskeletal contributors to fall risk so health and wellness professionals can act early and with precision.

The FRA system integrates three devices into a single comprehensive evaluation: a force-plate kiosk for balance and reaction-time analysis, an InBody body composition analyzer to identify muscle imbalances and sarcopenia, and a leg-strength dynamometer for objective bilateral force output. In Inglewood, the system will be deployed at the Senior Center through KRU Sciences, an applied research company founded by USC researcher Malcolm Jones to translate science into accessible, real-world community impact. "The KRU Sciences Blue Zone Access Model is built around identifying risk early and measuring outcomes over time. We could not accurately do the assessment phase of that model without InBody's technology," said Jones. "The data allows KRU Sciences and the City of Inglewood to identify fall risk, personalize interventions, and track whether we're actually improving health outcomes in the community." Together, these elements give the city a measurable, replicable model for evidence-based senior wellness.

"At InBody, we believe meaningful health outcomes start with precise, accessible measurement, and the knowledge to act on it," said Harry Yun, Chief Executive Officer at InBody USA. "We're proud to partner with the City of Inglewood and USC on this initiative because it aligns directly with our mission: to empower people to better understand and improve their health. We're giving seniors and their care teams the tools to identify fall risk early, intervene with confidence, and stay active in the communities they helped build." 

The path to approval was driven by education and community advocacy. USC clinicians and local physical therapy partners advocated for the FRA system after seeing it in action, taking the case to local leaders and ultimately the city council, where dozens of seniors from the Inglewood Senior Center filled the chamber in support. Completed in 2022 with approximately $50 million in city investment, the Senior Center will host the year-long program.

"Reducing falls among our seniors is more than a public health priority. It's a measure of how well we care for the residents who built Inglewood," said James T. Butts Jr., Mayor of the City of Inglewood. "Partnering with InBody and USC gives our community the tools and the expertise to do this right, and it's a meaningful step toward our vision of becoming the nation's second Blue Zone city."

While InBody is best known for body composition analysis, its product line also includes blood pressure monitors, stadiometers and the new FRA system. These products serve clinicians, coaches, athletes, and wellness professionals, supporting anyone working to understand and improve their health or performance. The FRA system's applications extend well beyond senior care to rehabilitation, post-injury recovery, and any population working to restore balance and stability.

About InBody
InBody is an innovation-focused company that develops biomedical technologies designed to simplify the understanding of health and wellness. InBody's award-winning, medical-grade devices are currently used by more than ten million professionals and consumers across medical, fitness, research, and corporate wellness settings worldwide. The company delivers technologies and services in more than 110 countries, supported by thirteen global branch offices and a global network of distributors. To learn more about InBody and its mission, visit www.inbody.com.

Media Contact
Gloria Song
Marketing Operations Manager, InBody
gloria.song@inbody.com 

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SOURCE InBody USA