The World Health Organisation (WHO) recently expressed concern on the risk that obesity is becoming the new norm in Europe. An earlier World Health Organisation study concluded that the urban environment is responsible for 14 per cent of health problems in Malta.
The report lists cardiovascular and respiratory disease, as well as a high rate of asthma in children and elderly as major concerns. Our urban environment contributes to one of Europe’s highest rates of obesity and diabetes due to the fact that heavy traffic, unsafe pavements and the lack of tree-shaded protected walkways discourage the public from walking.
In our representation in the consultation process to the DC Policy and Design Guidelines 2014, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħajr (FAA) highlighted our often repeated message that our present urban environment does not contribute to a healthy life, neither does it sustain a better quality of life. Many scientific studies show that good urban planning leads to greater mobility and social interaction, resulting in better physical and mental health.
We live in a country which designs the urban environment around cars, where car drivers are privileged citizens, while pedestrians and cyclists are third-class citizens with few rights.
In its enthusiasm to accommodate unsustainable, polluting cars, the government has forgotten to create quality pavements. They have focused on ensuring parking and access rights for car users at the expense of pedestrians’ rights and safety. Children cannot safely step out of their doors while older people and those with mobility challenges cannot be independent because of lack of pavements or dangerous, badly-designed ones.
Urban designers forgot that the public good should have a higher priority than private interests.
There appears to be a lack of understanding of the relationship between health and urban design. This is evident in most decisions that governments have taken over the past 20 years. With the consequential increase of health issues, the Ministry of Health quoted costs which run to millions of euros to treat obesity and other preventable conditions like cardiac and respiratory diseases, while neglecting to deal with their causes.
Our authorities overlook the fact that that exercise and green open spaces for play and relaxation are recognised as key fundamental preventive medicine measures that should be promoted.
The mentality of throwing money at problems is so embedded that governments do not consider the relatively inexpensive investment of providing protected, shaded walkways, pedestrianised areas and urban green spaces connected through pedestrian and cycle paths encouraging mobility and exercise.
There is a lack of interest in creating an urban environment that supports our older generation’s independence and mobility, while encouraging children and adults to enjoy physical activities
The media recently reported that a 7,000-square metre extension of the Salina National Park will not take place, as the land earmarked for the project is required for the development of a new primary school in St Paul’s Bay.
While FAA acknowledges the need for the school we fail to understand why this could not be holistically integrated to embrace the park, creating a valuable open green space, not only during school hours but available to the community after school hours.
This school is meant to be for local children, but will the streets to and from the school be designed to allow children to safely walk or cycle? The irony is that parking for polluting cars has been taken into consideration.
We live in a country which designs the urban environment around cars, where car drivers are privileged citizens
It is commendable that the government has decided to provide tablets for some of the school children; however, has this created a dilemma? On the one hand there is concern for the growing rate of child obesity, but while the State subsidises e-tablets that support sedentary play, a contributory cause to obesity, it does not consider subsidising bicycles and safe connected cycle lanes and pavements to encourage children to do physical exercise.
Several of these strategies are simply common sense supported by academic research and translated into practical recommendations. No single strategy alone will solve the obesity crisis. Implemented over a broad range of urban and architectural projects, however, these measures can contribute significantly toward bringing about healthier lifestyles in our communities by reducing obesity.
The design of the built environment can have a crucial and positive influence on improving public health. Just as environmental design strategies were implemented to combat disease both by the Knights and by the British administration, today urban environmental design is an even more essential tool in combating the most pressing public health problem of our time – obesity, and its related chronic diseases.
Antonio Anastasi is manager of Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar.