BackBuilt environment impacts residents' health
“As public health officials we can have no doubt that the environment within which people live is a key determinant of whether or not they can live a healthy life.” said Dr Harry Burns, Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, speaking on how to create an environment for active travel.
Characteristics in the built environment can discourage walking and cycling as a way of making local journeys. Many great public health interventions have been made not by health professionals alone but by planners, architects and engineers. Today’s unacceptably low levels of physical activity require us to make routine walking and cycling easier, and roll back the dominance of private cars and motor transport. The creation of environments that encourage active lifestyles must become a key objective in town and transport planning, as well as in public health.
Living Streets is hosting a conference to bring together great ideas and practical action on how our built environment affects people’s health. Join keynote speaker Dr Harry Burns, Chief Medical Officer for Scotland in identifying ways that the health and planning sector can work together to create better, healthier communities.
Living Streets conferences are renowned for working across sectors, addressing targets in health, environment and planning at a low cost.
Published on: 01/09/2010
