At HORUS, we advocate that the urban environment impacts people’s health—but we’re not the only ones saying it. Numerous scientific studies reach the same conclusion.
In this article by Zeynab Sadat Fazeli Dehkordi, Seyed Mahdi Khatami & Ehsan Ranjbar, the authors examine the link between urban environments and the prevalence of major non-communicable diseases (NCDs), including cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory diseases. Their findings reveal that urban factors such as density, transportation, accessibility, land use, and street design can significantly impact key health determinants like physical activity, diet, air pollution, and obesity—either mitigating or exacerbating these diseases.
Despite these insights, the study also identifies contradictions and gaps in existing research, underscoring the need for further investigation to develop clear guidelines for healthier urban planning.
Read the full article here.