Urban planners are promoting active lifestyles. Here’s how

ARIEL 1:Heeey there! Yawnnnn Welcome to EGreenNews! Ariel here, with my AI bestie Ariel and booth are computer generated avatars made in a computer, can you believe that? Today: Urban planners are promoting active lifestyles. Here’s how. Anywayss, buckle up! ARIEL 2: Mmmhmm! Leans in Did you know that non-communicable diseases like heart disease and diabetes kill tens of millions of people every year? But there's growing evidence that smart urban design focused on health could actually help reduce that number! Wild, right? ARIEL 1: Sooo... the way our cities are built can actually make us healthier or sicker? Like, the sidewalks and parks and stuff? Seriously? ARIEL 2: Ooooh! Absolutely! The article we just read explains that the intentional design of our living places and environment shapes our health on a massive scale. Things like how easy it is to walk or bike, and whether we have access to green spaces, can have a huge impact on chronic diseases. ARIEL 1: Hmm, I guess that makes sense. If it's a pain to walk anywhere, you're probably not going to do it. Mmmmaybe it's not that big of a deal though? ARIEL 2: Naaaahhh, it's a huge deal! In 2021, a staggering 43 million people worldwide died from these non-communicable diseases – that's 75% of non-pandemic deaths! And the economic cost could reach $47 trillion by 2030! ARIEL 1: Trillions of dollars? That's insane! So how can urban planners actually design cities to make us healthier? Geez Louise! ARIEL 2: Yaaas, queen! The article highlights two key areas: urban design for movement and urban design for nature. ARIEL 1: Okay, let's start with movement. How can cities be designed to get us moving more? ARIEL 2: Well, creating and improving places that encourage walking and cycling on a large scale is essential. Cities with lots of bike paths and pedestrian-friendly areas make it easy for people to fit exercise into their daily routines. ARIEL 1: Like those separated bike lanes you see in some cities? Do they actually make a difference? ARIEL 2: They do! The article mentions that cycling infrastructure has been linked to lower obesity levels and high blood pressure. And walkable neighborhoods with connected streets, parks, and good public transport can help people get up to 60% of their recommended physical activity! ARIEL 1: Wow! That's a lot! Do they have any examples of cities doing this well? ARIEL 2: Totally! Copenhagen is a prime example. Almost half of all commutes to work or school there are made by bike! Their urban design includes calm streets, painted bike lanes, green routes, and separated cycle tracks. They've made biking practical and functional. ARIEL 1: That sounds like a cyclist's paradise! What about walking? ARIEL 2: Italy's Romagna Region, known as the Wellness Valley, has focused on this. The Rimini area transformed its coastline to be car-free for walking and cycling. And guess what? Adults in this valley are 10% more active than the rest of Italy! ARIEL 1: That's a huge difference! So making it easier and more pleasant to walk and bike really works. What about nature? How does that play a role? ARIEL 2: Designing urban spaces with nature in mind is also crucial. Green spaces like parks offer tons of health benefits: they encourage physical activity, reduce stress, and help with social interaction. They can even improve air quality! ARIEL 1: I always feel better after spending time in a park. So it's not just in my head? ARIEL 2: Nope! Access to nature can alleviate mental health issues, boost cognitive function, and help us cope with stress. Studies have even shown that kids who are exposed to green spaces early on have better visual recognition and memory, and are less hyperactive. ARIEL 1: That's amazing! So how are cities actually incorporating nature into their designs? ARIEL 2: Singapore, with its integrated parks and green roofs, is a great example. And New York City's High Line, built on an old railway line, provides green spaces for walking and socializing while bringing back local plants. A study even found significantly better air and noise pollution levels on the High Line compared to the street below! ARIEL 1: The High Line is so cool! It shows how you can repurpose old infrastructure to create something healthy and green. ARIEL 2: Exactly! And in Italy's Wellness Valley, they've made almost all urban green spaces accessible to residents, emphasizing their importance in daily life beyond just looking pretty. ARIEL 1: So it's about making these healthy options the default – easy to access and enjoyable to use. ARIEL 2: Precisely! But the article also points out that we need more data to really understand the exact impact of these initiatives on diseases and well-being, and to figure out the best ways to scale them up. ARIEL 1: So measuring the health impact of urban planning should be a priority? ARIEL 2: Absolutely! By collecting and analyzing data on how urban design for movement and nature affects our health, we can make more informed decisions, prioritize effective strategies, and design cities that maximize health benefits for everyone. This also has huge social and economic advantages. Urban planners are promoting active lifestyles. Here’s how Apr 16, 2025 A street only for cyclists or so called bike street is pictured near the famous landmark Nyhavn in Copenhagen, Denmark April 18, 2017. Urban cycling infrastructure has health benefits. Urban cycling infrastructure has health benefits. I Our Impact What's the World Economic Forum doing to accelerate action on Wellbeing and Mental Health? The Big Picture Explore and monitor how Cities and Urbanization is affecting economies, industries and global issues Stay up to date: Cities and Urbanization This article is part of: Centre for Urban Transformation Non-communicable diseases claim tens of millions of lives a year. There is a growing body of evidence that smart, health-focused urban design may be able to reduce this number. Evidence from Italy and Denmark shows how urban planning could reduce diseases and improve general wellbeing. The intentional design of our living places and environment shapes health outcomes on a large scale. To grasp the importance of this, it's essential to recognize the nature of chronic health issues first. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) like cardiovascular disease, cancer, chronic respiratory disease and diabetes are the leading causes of death globally. In 2021, a staggering 43 million people worldwide lost their lives due to NCDs, equivalent to 75% of non-pandemic-related deaths, while 18 million people died before the age of 70. Evidence suggests that 82% of premature deaths occurred in low- and middle-income countries. Beyond the loss of life, these diseases lead to prolonged periods of poor health and quality of life. If current trends persist, the economic burden of NCDs could reach $47 trillion by 2030, hindering economic development and perpetuating poverty through higher medical expenses and productivity losses. Addressing the challenge of rising NCDs partly hinges on rethinking how we shape our environments and implement interventions to foster healthier outcomes. Since NCDs are linked to behavioral and environmental risk factors — such as physical inactivity, poor diet and air pollution — preventive measures integrated into urban spaces by design can promote healthier living to be the default. Have you read? Cities are warming 29% faster than rural areas. Could urban greening fix this? How greenways can boost nature-positive living by shaping urban mobility What Stockholm can teach the world about green urban development Urban design for movement Creating and retrofitting places that promote movement and physical activity on a large scale is essential. Urban areas with extensive cycling and walking infrastructure encourage people to seamlessly integrate movement into their daily routines. Cycling infrastructure has been linked to lower obesity levels and hypertension, and walkable neighbourhoods with interconnected streets, parks and accessible public transport can help residents achieve up to 60% of the recommended physical activity guidelines. In Copenhagen, 49% of all work or school commutes are made by bike, with residents collectively cycling an estimated 1.44 million kilometers daily. The bike-friendly urban design incorporates calm streets, painted bike lanes, green routes, and separated cycle tracks in busier areas. By limiting vehicle speeds and connecting off-street paths to create numerous recreational routes, the city makes biking and physical activity practical and functional. In Italy, the Romagna Region is home to about 1.1 million people and has been leading the Wellness Valley projects. The multi-stakeholder initiative addresses chronic health risks through a social innovation model, including designing preventive interventions for increasing movement. In one example, the Rimini area of the valley has transformed its coastline for walkability and cycling by creating car-free areas. Adults in this valley are 10% more active than the rest of Italy. Moreover, 23% of people in the valley walk or cycle daily compared to the national average of 10%. While more data is needed to know the exact impact of these initiatives on NCDs and well-being, and to identify successful variables and metrics for scalability, a growing body of evidence points in the right direction. One study across 14 cities in 10 countries found that people living in activity-friendly neighbourhoods engaged 68-89 minutes more in physical activity per week. Another study found that people living in areas designed for walkability were, on average, less obese: 43% in highly walkable neighborhoods compared to 53% in less walkable areas. Urban design for nature Designing urban spaces with nature in mind is also essential. Urban green spaces can offer multiple health benefits: promoting physical activity, reducing stress and enabling social interaction. While the impact of green spaces in urban settings can vary, they can also contribute to improving air quality by filtering pollutants and producing oxygen, reducing respiratory-related NCDs. Access to nature alleviates mental health disorders, enhances cognitive function and buffers life stresses. Early exposure to green spaces in children aged four to six improves visual recognition and memory, and reduces hyperactivity levels. Furthermore, individuals who move from less green areas to greener ones experience better mental health. Some cities and urban planners are embracing nature by design. Singapore, with its integrated parks and green roofs, exemplifies how urban planning can support outdoor activities. Similarly, the High Line in New York City was saved from demolition and built on a historic freight rail line and now provides green spaces for walking, socializing and experiencing biodiversity. It was redesigned to include gardens with the reintroduction of local wild plants. A comparative study of the high line and the footpath below found a significant difference (37%) in air and noise pollution factors that contribute to poor health. People using the high line area have less exposure to harmful particles like PM2.5 and noise pollution. In the Wellness Valley, Italy, the main municipalities are making almost all urban green spaces, such as urban parks, botanical gardens, equipped green areas and outdoor sports areas, accessible to residents. For example, 92% of green spaces in the city of Cesena are usable and play an important role in people’s daily lives beyond aesthetics. Prioritizing health impact data Measuring health impact data is not yet a standardized practice in urban planning. The collection of factual data on the direct and indirect impact on health and well-being is key for understanding the effect of urban planning on public health. By systematically gathering and analyzing impact data, urban planning projects can identify correlations between the design of places for movement and nature on well-being. This evidence-based approach will support informed decision-making, help prioritize strategies and projects, and enable urban areas to be designed to maximize health benefits, which also have social and economic implications. Such data can help direct investments and resources towards solutions needed to scale positive impact. The road ahead The intentional design of the physical environment holds immense potential to shape health outcomes. By addressing the behavioural and environmental risk factors of NCDs through urban planning and preventive measures at scale, cities can pave the way for a healthier future. This necessitates reimaging and leveraging urban planning to be health-centric. Urban places can be transformed to enable walkability, cycling and exposure to nature to be the default. It is imperative to prioritize urban designs, foster collaborations and invest in interventions that promote better health outcomes. By doing so, we can improve population health and mitigate the economic and social burdens of chronic diseases globally. ARIEL 1: It sounds like intentionally designing our cities for health could be a game-changer in tackling these chronic diseases. ARIEL 2: It really could! The article concludes by saying that by rethinking and leveraging urban planning to be health-centric, cities can pave the way for a healthier future where walking, cycling, and access to nature are the norm. ARIEL 1: Sooo confusing, right? Learn more @EGreenNews! What surprised you more - that almost half of Copenhagen commutes by bike or that green spaces can actually improve air quality? ARIEL 2: And before we leave, lets give a big Shoutout to the people at EGreenNews, including its founder, Hugi Hernandez for promoting transparency 24×7! Mmm, who knows, maybe you can find them on the web or linkedin. But anyways, please,always remember to be good with yourself. So bye for now, aand we hope we see you next time! ARIEL 1: So its great to be here with you ariel and thanks for having me, ciao ciao!