CityHealth, a project of the de Beaumont Foundation, will release its first round of city policy ratings in February - a culmination of a two-year study of best policy practices with its roots in evidence and its eyes on change. Additionally, CityHealth announced its new package of nine proven, attainable policies to help create healthier communities.

"Cities are where innovative solutions are born, tested, and proven," said Edward L. Hunter, president and CEO of the de Beaumont Foundation. "Cities have led the way in becoming incubators of new policies, such as establishing smoke-free restaurants and pioneering transportation innovations that unclog our streets and keep our air clean."

CityHealth will score cities on the number and strength of the nine policies identified by a panel of experts. Each of the examined cities will be assigned a medal status - Gold, Silver, Bronze, or none based on that evaluation.

"With more than three out of five Americans living in a city, there is a tremendous opportunity to use proven policies to improve health and quality of life for millions," said Dr. Shelley Hearne, CityHealth principal investigator. "Health reaches far beyond medical care, and in fact the things that affect our everyday lives - like education, safe streets, and access to healthy food - are shown to have a greater impact on overall health than healthcare itself."

The nine policy solutions are tied to employee benefits, education, affordable housing, active living and transportation, public safety, tobacco control, environment, food safety, and nutrition. Both Nashville and Memphis are on the list of initial 40 cities being scored by CityHealth.