A conceptual framework for development of public health oriented environment planning and design measures with focus on childhood obesity

Abstract

There is a worldwide concern about increasing non-communicable diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, asthma and depression related to obesity in urban population. The built environment has an important role to support human health. Characteristics of the built environment can be modified to influence and facilitate or hinder public health. The rapid development of major towns and cities in developing countries producing urban sprawl, lower densities, environmental pollution, inconvenience and unsafe public spaces as well as transportation infrastructure that encourages car ridership over active transportation has altered the built environment in ways which effect health negatively. Urbanization in developing and less developed countries, therefore, is linked to rising obesity and incidence of metabolic syndrome. For instance the Malaysian Ministry of Health states that just over a quarter of Malaysian school children were obese and overweight and have the tendency to become obese adults. This research will outline and identify the significant variables concerning the built environment and childhood obesity by examining previous literature studies. There are three major aspects where urban planning and design can most effectively influence childhood obesity, namely, physical activity, community interaction and healthy eating. These three aspects address the principle risk factors for contemporary non-communicable diseases. Hence, the current research will focus on the three mentioned aspects as the keywords to extract the relative factors and indicators associated to built environment and childhood obesity. As the final outcome this research will construct a conceptual framework to serve as a basis for developing a public health-oriented built environment with focus on childhood obesity.