including priority settings and frequently used spaces such as the workplace, schools, hospitals, correctional institutions, commercial offices and public spaces within our cities should be at the centre of health promotion activities in the 21st century.
During the 66th meeting of the General Assembly of the United Nations this year, the socio-economic challenge facing the world of non-communicable disease was discussed for the first time.
Effectively designed landscaped and urban settings are a powerful and cost effective tool in the fight to reduce the incidence of non communicable threats to health and well being such as depression, type 2 diabetes, obesity.
I've just submitted an abstract to the World Design and Health Congress for a paper on using landscape and urban design for health and well being. Urban planning for social housing must address the mental health and well being of users. In order for green cities to be cost effective, person-centred landscapes the garden design of the whole needs to be investigated in part.
We can all make a difference.
"Rising levels of non-communicable disease and social pathologies erode economies and communities, putting pressure on limited health and welfare resources. Links between health and the environment have been demonstrated in the literature."