While the city population is exploding, researchers have developed a city model to limit the deleterious effects of urban concentrations.
A healthy body in a healthy city… While in Paris, the debate on the pedestrianization of bank tracks is raging, the review The Lancet publishes this Friday a series of three studies that assess the health gains achieved in cities promoting walking and public transport, and limiting the use of private vehicles. Work published on the eve of Car Free Day in Paris.
Epidemics of non-communicable diseases
Previous studies have already shown a correlation between the configuration of cities and growing epidemics of non-communicable diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer.
According to the authors, the increase in the urban population in the years to come will only encourage the use of private vehicles, which will accentuate the pathologies linked to air pollution and lack of physical activity, as well as road accidents. road.
“Compact city model”
The authors therefore created a model of an ideal city, taking into account several factors in order to assess the real impact of a healthy city. “To create cities that promote health, we need joint policies and measures in different sectors: land use, transport, housing, economic development, urban design, health services, public safety,” the authors say.
For the series of articles, the researchers designed a “compact city model”. Objective: to measure the impact of a 30% growth in urban density and a 30% reduction in the average access distance to public transport. They also assessed the benefits reaped if 10% of private vehicle users used public transport.
Then, they applied this model to six cities – Melbourne, London, Boston, Sao Paulo, Copenhagen, and New Delhi – to find that all indicators were positive: increased physical activity, fall in cardiovascular disease and diabetes. type 2, reduction of air pollution.
Reducing the burden of disease
In Boston, for example, the model yielded a 15% reduction in the burden of cardiovascular disease, and an 11% reduction for type 2 diabetes (13% and 7% for London; 19% and 14% for Melbourne).
Small flat: a 5% increase in road accidents, linked to the presence of cyclists and pedestrians on the same lane, could be estimated in Boston, London and Melbourne. However, this increased risk was reduced if the space was organized in such a way as to separate cyclists from pedestrians and cars.
“The effect of interventions that encourage cycling and walking is particularly evident in highly motorized cities, such as Melbourne, London and Boston,” the authors write. This study underlines the importance of deploying policies in transport (price, regulation…) which encourage active journeys and discourage the use of private vehicles ”, conclude the authors.
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