3. Outdoor INDIRECT
environment HEALTH
IMPACTS
and healthNatural spaces
Physical activity
DIRECT HEALTH
IMPACTS
Safety and
incivilities
General health
Social contact Natural Obesity
Psychological spaces Air pollution Physical activity
well-being General health Cardiovascular Social contact
Mental health disease
Blood pressure Mortality
Cholesterol Cancer
Stress & anxiety Male fertility
Recovery rates OUTDOOR
Floods
ENVIRONMENT Noise
Respiratory Heart disease
illness Hearing
Stomach impairment
upsets Mental health
Blood pressure Reading abilities
Mixed land use Psychological in children
Street design
Obesity well-being Road Traffic Physical activity
Social contact Accidents Obesity
Physical activity Deaths
Accessibility
Obesity
Social contact
4. Challenges to health 80
10.6
70
8.8 10.1
6.5
• Healthy life expectancy 69.9
60 67.2 66.7
• Health inequalities are 64.4
increasing 50
- Since 1995-97, the gap in life
ears
40
Y
expectancy between the England
30
average and the poorest areas has
increased by 2% for males and 11% 20
for females.
10
Years spent in poor health
0
Healthy Life Expectancy 1981 2002 1981 2002
male male female female
5. Challenges to health
• Incidence of certain diseases
are increasing:
– Mental illness - In Great Britain,
mental health disorders affect
about 1 in 6 of the adult population
– Obesity related ill health - In
England in 2005 nearly a quarter of
men and women were obese
– Diabetes - Between 1994-2003 in
England the prevalence of diabetes
in men increased by nearly two-
thirds and in women has almost
doubled
6. The cost of ill health
Health and Wider Total
social care economy
Mental ill health £12 £64 £76
billion/annum billion/annum billion/annum
Obesity >£1 > £2.3 >£3.7
billion/annum billion/annum billion/annum
Diabetes £1.3 Unknown > £1.3
billion/annum billion/annum
8. Outdoor INDIRECT
environment HEALTH
IMPACTS
and health Natural
spaces
Physical
DIRECT HEALTH
IMPACTS
Safety and
incivilities
General health
Natural Obesity
activity Air pollution
spaces Physical activity
Social contact General health Cardiovascular Social contact
Psychological Mental health disease
well-being Blood pressure Mortality
Cholesterol Cancer
Stress & anxiety Male fertility
Recovery rates OUTDOOR
Floods ENVIRONMENT Noise
Respiratory
Heart disease
illness
Hearing
Stomach
impairment
upsets
Mental health
Blood pressure
Reading abilities
Psychological
Mixed land use in children
well-being Street design
Obesity Road Traffic Physical activity
Social contact Accidents Obesity
Physical activity Deaths
Accessibility
Obesity
Social contact
9. Natural spaces
People with access to nearby nature are
generally healthier than those without
The more greenspace there
is in a person’s residential
area, the more healthy they
Contact with nature are likely to be
impacts positively
on blood pressure,
cholesterol, outlook
on life, stress
reduction and child
development
11. Outdoor INDIRECT
environment
HEALTH
IMPACTS
and health Natural
spaces
Physical Natural
DIRECT HEALTH
IMPACTS
Safety and
incivilities
General health
Obesity
activity spaces Air pollution Physical activity
Social contact General health Cardiovascular Social contact
Psychological Mental health disease
Blood pressure Mortality
well-being
Cholesterol Cancer
Stress & anxiety Male fertility
Recovery rates OUTDOOR
Floods
ENVIRONMENT Noise
Respiratory Heart disease
illness Hearing
Stomach impairment
upsets Mental health
Blood pressure Reading abilities
Psychological in children
Mixed land use well-being Street design
Road Traffic Physical activity
Obesity
Accidents Obesity
Social contact
Deaths
Physical activity
Accessibility
Obesity
Social contact
12. Air pollution and road traffic
Increasing the
number of people Perceptions of road safety
cycling and walking can influence levels of
improves road safety
physical activity
In 2006, over 250,000 Air pollution reduces
people were killed or injured life expectancy by
in road accidents in the UK 7-8 months and
costs up to
Adverse health effects of
£20.2 billion/annum
air pollution include:
mortality, asthma, rhinitis,
cardiovascular disease,
cancer and lowering of
male fertility
13. Outdoor INDIRECT
environment
HEALTH
IMPACTS
and health Natural
spaces
Physical Natural
DIRECT HEALTH
IMPACTS
Safety and
incivilities
General health
Obesity
activity spaces Air pollution Physical activity
Social contact General health Cardiovascular Social contact
Psychological Mental health disease
Blood pressure Mortality
well-being
Cholesterol Cancer
Stress & anxiety Male fertility
Recovery rates OUTDOOR
Floods
ENVIRONMENT Noise
Respiratory Heart disease
illness Hearing
Stomach impairment
upsets Mental health
Blood pressure Reading abilities
Mixed land use Psychological in children Street design
Obesity well-being Road Traffic Physical activity
Social contact
Accidents Obesity
Physical activity
Deaths
Accessibility
Obesity
Social contact
14. Noise Adverse health impacts of
persistent environmental
noise include:
- high blood pressure
- heart disease
- hearing impairment
- mental ill health
- poorer reading abilities
15. Floods
The number of people at high risk
from future coastal and river flooding
in England and Wales could double
from 1.6 million today, to over
3 million by 2080
Adverse health impacts of
flooding include:
- respiratory illnesses
- stomach upsets
- high blood pressure
- psychological distress
16. Physical activity
Inactivity costs
approximately 60% of men and 72% of
£8.2 billion/year women fail to achieve 30
minutes of activity five times
a week
Physical activity can reduce the risk of:
- heart disease, cancer, diabetes,
osteoporosis; and
- promote psychological well-
being
17. Social capital
Getting out and meeting people
has been shown to help people:
• live longer;
• be healthier physically
• and mentally
18. Outdoor INDIRECT
environment
HEALTH
IMPACTS
and health Natural
spaces
Physical
Natural
DIRECT HEALTH
IMPACTS
Safety and
incivilities
General health
Obesity
activity Air pollution
spaces Physical activity
Social contact General health Cardiovascular Social contact
Psychological Mental health disease
well-being Blood pressure Mortality
Cholesterol Cancer
Stress & anxiety Male fertility
Recovery rates OUTDOOR
Floods ENVIRONMENT Noise
Respiratory
Heart disease
illness
Hearing
Stomach
impairment
upsets
Mental health
Blood pressure
Reading abilities
Mixed land use Psychological in children
Obesity well-being Street design
Road Traffic
Social contact Physical activity
Physical activity Accidents
Obesity
Deaths
Accessibility
Obesity
Social contact
19. Accessibility
Local facilities create opportunities for
social interaction and physical activity
- 1 in 4 young people have not
Transport difficulties
attended a job interview
can jeopardise
opportunities:
- 1.4 million people missed, turned down
or chose not to seek medical help
20. Outdoor INDIRECT
environment
HEALTH
IMPACTS
and health Natural
spaces
DIRECT HEALTH
IMPACTS
Safety and
incivilities
General health
Obesity
Physical Natural
activity spaces Air pollution Physical activity
Social contact General health Cardiovascular Social contact
Psychological Mental health disease
Blood pressure Mortality
well-being
Cholesterol Cancer
Stress & anxiety Male fertility
Recovery rates OUTDOOR
Floods
ENVIRONMENT Noise
Respiratory Heart disease
illness Hearing
Stomach impairment
upsets Mental health
Blood pressure Reading abilities
Psychological in children
Mixed land use well-being Street design
Road Traffic
Obesity Physical activity
Accidents
Social contact Obesity
Deaths
Physical activity
Accessibility
Obesity
Social contact
21. Mixed land-use & street design
Residents in highly walkable Higher levels of social capital
neighbourhoods engage
in 70 minutes more
physical activity a week
Reduced risk of obesity
Increased risk of obesity
Car drivers walk 56
minutes less per week
than non-car owners
– equivalent to 2 stone
weight gain over a
decade
22. Outdoor INDIRECT
environment
HEALTH
IMPACTS
and health Natural
spaces
Physical Natural
DIRECT HEALTH
IMPACTS
Safety and
incivilities
General health
Obesity
activity spaces Air pollution Physical activity
Social contact General health Cardiovascular Social contact
Psychological Mental health disease
Blood pressure Mortality
well-being
Cholesterol Cancer
Stress & anxiety Male fertility
Recovery rates OUTDOOR
Floods
ENVIRONMENT Noise
Respiratory Heart disease
illness Hearing
Stomach impairment
upsets Mental health
Blood pressure Reading abilities
Mixed land use Psychological in children
Street design
Obesity well-being Road Traffic Physical activity
Social contact Accidents Obesity
Physical activity Deaths
Accessibility
Obesity
Social contact
23. Safety and incivilities
People who feel safe in
their neighbourhood are
more likely to be physically
active
Residents in areas with high
levels of graffiti, litter and
dog mess are 50% less
likely to be physically active Perceived neighbourhood
and 50% more likely to be disorder is associated with
overweight/ obese poorer mental health
24. Outdoor INDIRECT
environment
HEALTH
IMPACTS
and health Natural
spaces
Physical Natural
DIRECT HEALTH
IMPACTS
Safety and
incivilities
General health
Obesity
activity spaces Air pollution Physical activity
Social contact General health Cardiovascular Social contact
Psychological Mental health disease
Blood pressure Mortality
well-being
Cholesterol Cancer
Stress & anxiety Male fertility
Recovery rates OUTDOOR
Floods ENVIRONMENT Noise
Respiratory
Heart disease
illness
Hearing
Stomach
impairment
upsets
Mental health
Blood pressure
Reading abilities
Mixed land use Psychological in children
Obesity well-being Road Traffic Street design
Social contact Accidents Physical activity
Physical activity Deaths Obesity
Accessibility
Obesity
Social contact
25. Natural spaces
Individuals are more socially engaged
People living in areas in green areas than in barren spaces
with high levels of
greenery are 3 times
more physically active
and 40% less likely to
be overweight/obese
‘Green’ exercise can improve
health and well-being
Attractive parks
and public green
spaces are more
likely to be used
for physical
activity
26. Virtuous circle
Reduces Sustainable
economic burden outdoor environment
Reduces level of Benefits physical &
demand mental health of
for health services local population
27. Next steps
• Have this discussion with:
– Planners
– Architects
– Transport planners, and
– Public health professionals
At a national, regional and/or
local level.
• Use the principles of
sustainable development as a
framework for decision making.
From Barton and Grant, 2006 [adapted from Whitehead and Dahlgren, 1991]
Areas covered in the knowledge base and presentation.
Challenges to health Healthy life expectancy Although life expectancy in the UK is increasing, healthy life expectancy is increasing at a slower rate. Between 1981 and 2002, life expectancy at birth rose for both males (by 5.1 years to 76.0) and females (by 3.7 years to 80.5). However, during this period healthy life expectancy rose by only 2.8 and 3.2 years for males and females respectively. So while people are living for longer, they are also suffering poor health for longer – and this is particularly apparent in males Health inequalities are increasing Since the 1995-97 baseline, the relative gap in life expectancy between England and the fifth of areas with the worst health and deprivation indicators has increased by two per cent for males and by eleven per cent for females.
Challenges to health Incidence of certain diseases are increasing: - Mental illness: In Great Britain, mental health disorders affect about 1 in 6 of the adult population - Obesity related ill health: In England in 2005 nearly a quarter of men and women were obese - Diabetes: Between 1994-2003 in England the prevalence of diabetes in men has increased by nearly two-thirds and in women has almost doubled
Table shows costs of some health problems in England
From Securing the Future – delivering UK sustainable development strategy [UK Government, 2005]
Natural spaces Exposure to natural spaces has been found to have positive benefits for mental and physical health: - A Dutch study found that, when assuming a causal relationship between greenspace and health, a 10 per cent increase in greenspace in the living environment can lead to a decrease in health complaints equivalent to a reduction of in age of five years. [de Vries et al, 2003] - An Australian review of the empirical, theoretical and anecdotal evidence concluded that contact with nature specifically impacts positively on blood pressure, cholesterol, outlook on life and stress reduction [Maller et al, 2005] - The natural environment has also been found to benefit well-being; a literature review concluded that the human response to nature includes feelings of pleasure and interest and a reduction in anger and anxiety [Rohde and Kendle, 1994]
Urban public housing residents in Chicago -Residents living in the building without trees and grass reported more procrastination in facing their problems and assessed their issues as more severe, less soluble and more long standing than the residents living in greener surroundings [Kuo 2001]
Air pollution - from road transport has decreased by about 50% in the last decade [Defra 2007] - in 2005 was estimated to reduce life expectancy by 7-8 months and cost an estimated £8.5-20.2 billion/annum [Defra 2007] - adverse health effects include: mortality, asthma, rhinitis, cardiovascular disease, cancer and lowering of male fertility [WHO, 2005] Road traffic - in 2006, 258,404 people were killed or injured in road accidents in the UK. Of these 3,172 people were killed [Defra 2007/DfT 2007] - increasing the number of people cycling and walking improves road safety, as a motorist is less likely to be involved in a collision [Jacobsen 2003]
Noise - In addition to annoyance and sleep disturbance, persistent environmental noise can have negative impacts on health, such as heart disease, hearing impairment and impacts on mental health [Stansfeld et al. 2000] - In residents living around four European airports (including Heathrow), blood pressure levels rose with higher noise levels [Haralabidis, 2008]
Floods - The number of people at high risk from future coastal and river flooding in England and Wales could double from 1.6 million today, to over 3 million by 2080 [Foresight 2004] - Health impacts of flooding include respiratory illnesses, reduced resistance to infections, stomach upsets, high blood pressure and psychological distress [Environment Agency, 2005]
Physical activity can reduce the risk of developing: -heart disease, cancers, type II diabetes, osteoporosis; and -promote psychological well-being. [WHO] In England in 2006, 60% of men and 72% of women failed to achieve 30 minutes of moderate activity five times a week. [Information Centre for Health and Social Care, 2008] Inactivity costs approximately £8.2 billion/year. [Department of Health, 2004] The health impact of this inactivity in terms of coronary heart disease is comparable to that of smoking. [Killoran et al, 2006]
Social capital Getting out and meeting people ( social contact and social capital ) has been shown to help people live longer and be healthier physically (e.g. lower risk of stroke) and mentally (e.g. less depression). [Berkman, 2000; Kawachi, 1996; Diener and Seligman, 2002] Conversely, people with fewer social networks and emotional support may be more likely to be obese, experience less well-being and more mental health problems and be at a greater risk of pregnancy complications. [Wilkinson and Marmot, 2003] A study in Finland found that men with fewer social connections were at higher risk of all-cause mortality and heart disease. [Kaplan, 1998]
Accessibility - Local facilities create opportunities for social interaction [RCEP, 2007] - Because of transport difficulties: 1 in 4 young people have not attended a job interview; 1.4 million people missed, turned down or chose not to seek medical help [Social Exclusion Unit, 2003] - The location and accessibility of shops and services may influence the obesogenic environment i.e. the role environmental factors may play in determining both energy intake and expenditure [NICE, 2008] - Between 1995 and 2000, Britain lost approximately one-fifth of its local services, including corner shops, post offices and banks and it predicted that we will lose a further third over the next decade. This social and economic decline can result in car dependency in more isolated communities, hitting the most vulnerable in society, who are less likely to have access to a car, the hardest. [Nef, 2002; ONS, 2007]
Mixed land-use - A study in Galway found that people living in mixed use, walkable neighbourhoods had higher levels of social capital compared to those in more suburban car-oriented neighbourhoods. [Leyden, 2003] - A Canadian study found that in neighbourhoods of mixed income, the less affluent had better health and quality of life compared to those living in less affluent neighbourhoods. [Hou and Myles, 2004] Street design - The design and layout of towns and cities can encourage or discourage physical activity. [NICE, 2008] - An American study found that residents of highly walkable neighbourhoods engage in 70 minutes more physical activity a week, than those in less walkable neighbourhoods. This equates to walking three miles more per week; over the course of one year this could result in 1.8kg of weight loss. [Saelens et al., 2003]
Safety and incivilities - Perceived neighbourhood disorder is associated with poorer mental health. [Clark et al., 2007] - People are more likely to use outdoor space if it considered safe: - An English study found that people who felt safe in their neighbourhoods were more likely to be physically active. [Harrison et al., 2007] - Residents in areas with high levels of graffiti, litter and dog mess were 50 per cent less likely to be physically active and 50 per cent more likely to be overweight/obese. [Ellaway et al.,2005] - Perceptions of road safety can influence mode of transport and levels of physical activity. [Crombie 2002]
Natural spaces Greenspace can facilitate social contact: -A study in Chicago found that 83% more individuals engaged in social activity in green areas than barren spaces. [Sullivan et al., 2004] Local access to safe natural greenspace and attractive scenery is associated with high levels of physical activity within communities. [Bird, 2007] - A European study found that people who live in areas with high levels of greenery were 3 times more likely to be physically active and 40% less likely to be overweight/obese. [Ellaway et al., 2005] - A Norwegian study found children’s play to be more vigorous outdoors than indoors; children who play regularly in natural areas were fitter and had better coordination, balance and agility. [Fjortoft, 2004] - The more attractive parks and urban green spaces become, the more people are likely to use them for physical activity. [CABE, 2007] - ‘Green’ exercise can lead to a significant improvement in self-esteem and mood. [Pretty et al.,2007]
Adapted from Claiming the Health Dividend: Unlocking the benefits of NHS spending [King’s Fund, 2002]