Healthy cities of the future

Better city planning to encourage cycling and walking could help to reduce early deaths from heart disease, diabetes and cancer according to new research.  Case studies from London, Boston, Melbourne, São Paulo, Copenhagen and Dehli found significant health gains can be achieved with a switch from cars to walking and cycling.  Professor Billie Giles Corti from the University of Melbourne said "City Planning must be a part of a comprehensive solution to tackling adverse health outcomes, city planning was key to cutting infectious disease outbreaks in the 19th Century through improved sanitation, housing and separating residential and industrial areas."

Another new study from Washington University in St. Louis published in the Lancet "City Planning and Population Health: A Global Challenge" suggests designing pedestrian and cycling friendly cities will help build strong communities with multiple benefits to health and the economy.