The Built Environment: How your surroundings affect your health (Part 1)
- Kaydine
- Sep 15
- 3 min read
Our environment is not just the backdrop to our lives. It is one of the major social determinants of our health. Did you know that well maintained outdoor green spaces promote increased engagement in physical activity which in turn significantly lowers risk of chronic metabolic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease (CVD) etc.? These green spaces also help to improve mental health, which is becoming increasingly important in today's world as mental health disorders are on the rise.
A few weeks ago I went on a run on the boardwalk a few minutes from my home and what I saw opened my eyes to the reality of what it looks like when public health is centered in urban design. The boardwalk had designated lanes for pedestrians and cyclists, making it easy for people to walk, run or ride their bikes without risk of accidents. Along the path were various spaces for sporting activities including tennis, pickleball, volleyball, basketball, skateboarding etc. There were outdoor gym spaces as well as several green spaces. People were engaging in movement and casual social interaction with each other, but what blew my mind the most, was the fact that everyone had access! People are more likely to engage in health behaviors when they have access. Access should be the first consideration when we think about the built environment. Yet too often, it’s overlooked, despite being one of the most significant drivers of the health disparities we observe both in clinical settings and across population-level data.
The built environment refers to our physical infrastructure encompassing buildings and housing, roadways and transportation systems, parks, grocery stores and fresh markets etc. It is determined by policy, land use laws and urban planning and design. Each aspect of the built environment directly affects health and quality of life across communities. In fact many researchers suggest that the built environment can be used to predict health outcomes. Health professionals typically ascribe poor health outcomes to personal responsibility, often neglecting the impact of social determinants of health. Our physical surroundings shape our biology and behavior and should therefore be factored into our healthcare decision making and public health planning.
Examples of how the built environment impacts public health:
Poor ventilation in housing has been linked to increased rick of developing respiratory illnesses.
Increased risk of metabolic diseases in areas of low walkability.
Decreased proximity to grocery stores or fresh food outlets is linked to poor nutrition intake and development of nutrition related chronic diseases such as hypertension, CVD etc.
Unsafe or poorly maintained outdoor spaces discourage physical activity and increases depression and anxiety.
Public transportation increases mobility and access to healthcare and employment.
Poor air quality is linked to respiratory diseases including asthma, chronic bronchitis etc.
Poor water quality is linked to development of infectious diseases. Pollutants like lead in pipes have been linked to development of neurological disorders and negative effects on child development.
These are not just mere correlations. They are a call to action.
In this 5 part series we will discuss the following aspects of the built environment, how they affect our health and potential solutions that can be implemented to facilitate change:
Food Access and Nutrition: Grocery stores, community gardens, fresh food outlets..
Physical activity: Green spaces, parks, walkable cities.
Transportation: Access to healthcare, employment, Grocery stores, roads and accident prevention.
Pollution: Physical and chemical
Housing quality
The evidence is clear, our environment is a major predictor of our health. Unfortunately, not everyone gets to benefit from urban design that is centered on public health. Historically, people of color or those of low socioeconomic status are excluded from urban planning decisions and tend to face the most burden of environmental risk and the lowest access to protective infrastructure. Health equity is an urgent necessity in community design and requires the collaborative effort of our government, urban planners, public health professionals and community leaders. When we design for health, we end up with communities that are more nourishing, productive and resilient.