A new case study coming out of Switzerland suggests that a city’s urban layout may be the greatest factor in rate of obesity amongst its residents. Published in the British Medical Journal Open, the study calculated the BMIs (body mass index) of 6,500 adult residents for many years in the city of Lausanne, Switzerland, and then used demographic information to map the BMIs. What they found was a stark divide between the working-class, less-educated residents clustered in the city’s western edge—who had higher BMIs—and the wealthier, well-educated residents farther east with proportionally lower BMIs. The findings showed that these low-income neighborhoods lying in the midst of large roads, crowded highways and metro lines isolated working-class communities from “places that could be very healthy for them” such as parks and green spaces, areas far more accessible for the wealthier residents of the city. The study’s results may have found the missing link between urbanism and obesity, signifying that reducing obesity rates will require improvements to our urban environments.
Better urban planning can bring down obesity rates
More of Today's Solutions
The new TB diagnostic that could replace 150 years of microscope testing
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Tuberculosis kills more than a million people a year. It’s the world’s deadliest infectious disease. And for most ...
Read More6 small things that make you a guest hosts love having over
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM Most dinner party advice is written for hosts. How to plate things beautifully, keep conversation going, and handle ...
Read MoreNorwegian cohousing encourages social connection and sustainable living
After the pandemic years of alienation from each other, the downfalls of the once sought-after single-nuclear-family housing are becoming clearer. Not only is it ...
Read MoreDogs are rewilding the quaint town of Lewes’ urban nature reserve
BY THE OPTIMIST DAILY EDITORIAL TEAM In a joyful and unique attempt to rewild an urban nature reserve in the picturesque town of Lewes, ...
Read More
