Week 11

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Brock University *

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5P12

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Health Science

Date

Dec 6, 2023

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docx

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Uploaded by plrbhutch

Name Week 11 How does urban planning impact public health? Select any research question of your choice and review scientific literature to answer the question. How effective are environmental interventions to reduce childhood obesity? Urban planning is the process by which communities attempt to control and/or design change and development in their physical environments. 1 It is also a technical and political process concerned with the welfare of individuals and relating to the built environment, which includes air, water and the infrastructure passing into and out of urban areas, such as transportation and communication networks. 2 Many of the current concepts and practices of public health, were developed in response to the challenges that arose from urbanization. Some of these challenges were overcrowding (due to the influx of immigrants), poverty-driven conditions and inadequate infrastructure, all serving as a breeding ground for specific infectious diseases, such as tuberculosis, cholera and typhoid. As a result, the public health professionals helped to develop potable water supplies as well as sewage and waste management systems to aid in decreasing the prevalence of these diseases. 3 Infectious diseases aren’t the only consequence, but also chronic, non-communicable diseases such as cancer, heart disease and diabetes. The increased prevalence of these diseases can be related to unhealthy lifestyle choices in the form of tobacco use, poor diet and physical inactivity. The issue of physical inactivity continues to rise, and individuals become more complacent as a result of urbanization. This has led to an obesity epidemic not only in adults, but also in young adults and children. In 1978-1979, 23% of children in Canada aged 2-17 were overweight or obese while in 2017, this number rose to 30%. 4 Obesity puts the child at greater risk for developing chronic diseases such as asthma, type II Diabetes and heart disease. 4 It is therefore absolutely necessary to involve all forms of intervention to lower these numbers. In a number of studies, Feng et al. identified physical activity potential, land use/transportation conditions and food environments as primary domains of the built environment that have an impact on obesity. 5 Physical activity potential includes factors that will either increase or decrease the likelihood for physical activity and exercise. Environmental barriers are physical conditions that dissuade physical exercise such as lack of infrastructure (ex. sidewalks, bike MPHA 5P12:

lanes), obstructions, lack of physical activity-related facilities and unequal access to facilities for all segments of the population. Land use/transportation refers to the overall structure of a region relating to factors such as density and connectivity. Low-density regions typically have decreased walking and bicycling rates with increased use of and dependence on automobiles leading to decreased overall physical activity. Increased automobile dependence results in greater emissions of pollutants that decreases the air quality while increasing the risk of respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses also limiting physical activity. Finally, the food environment refers to the availability, quality, health and accessibility of food options in a specific area. Fast-food restaurants and convenience stores typically encourage negative health behaviours. Low-income neighbourhoods generally don’t have access to healthier food options due to cost and environment, reflecting on obesity rates as well. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation facilitated a study by Krum, 2013 than analyzed 588 studies to determine the effectiveness of environmental interventions in reducing childhood obesity. 6 They categorized the various intervention strategies, rendering the most effective as “first-tier effective.” These strategies have shown a significant, positive health or behavioral outcomes and intermediate environmental or economic impacts. 6 These strategies included improved community design, physical activity standards in schools, streets designed to support pedestrians, bicycles and public transport, neighborhood availability for reaction and point-of- decision prompts of physical activity. These strategies ranked above all nutrition intervention strategies. Improved community design to support physical activity relates to the use of the land and the proximity between commercial and residential destinations. 6 Physical activity standards entail increasing time spent in both structured or unstructured play, sports or recreation for instance recess and PE class. It also involves ease of access to facilities and equipment to support these activities, such as fields and playgrounds. Point-of-decision prompts for physical activity involves increased signage for information, navigation or motivation in schools and/or communities to encourage active choices. Social marketing campaigns to cause behavior change is also a form of these prompts. It is necessary to say that environmental interventions, although independently effective, they cannot eliminate the problem alone. However, innovative multi-component approaches are needed to tackle the problem at the individual level, family level, organizational level, political level and governmental levels. MPHA 5P12:

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