Three regional health districts in eastern Connecticut have been selected to participate in a three year national project being conducted by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The project known by its acronym ACHIEVE for Action Communities for Health, Innovation and Environmental Change will assess local conditions that can promote healthier lifestyles, or contribute to harmful ones.

One example might be to tour a city by bicycle to determine how “bike friendly” it is, as is being planned for New London, one of five communities served by the Ledge Light Health District. The others are East Lyme, Groton, Ledyard and Waterford.

The two other regional districts joining Ledge Light in the ACHIEVE project are the Mansfield-based Eastern Highlands serving 10 towns and the Brooklyn-based Northeast District Department of Health serving 12 towns.

Altogether 53 regional districts or communities nationwide are part of the project, which falls within the CDC’s Healthy Communities Program. In each a panel of residents and representatives of local organizations will be assembled to do the assessments.

The evaluation of conditions will be conducted by a panel of community representatives. In New London, the panel is expected to include elected officials and representatives if city departments such as parks and recreation and planning and development as well as educators , business owners, as well as other health and human service professionals, people from universities and New London residents.