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RESEARCH ARTICLE: Healthy Cities Fighting against Chronic Conditions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 March 2015

Gerson Luis Schwab ,
Simone Tetu Moysés ,
Beatriz Helena Sottile França ,
Renata Iani Werneck ,
Erica Frank  and
Samuel Jorge Moysés
Gerson Luis Schwab*
Affiliation:
Gerson Luis Schwab, Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR), School of Health and Biosciences, Curitiba, Brazil
Simone Tetu Moysés
Affiliation:
Simone Tetu Moysés, Beatriz Helena Sottile França, and Renata Iani Werneck, Dental Postgraduate Programme of the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR), Curitiba, Brazil
Beatriz Helena Sottile França
Affiliation:
Simone Tetu Moysés, Beatriz Helena Sottile França, and Renata Iani Werneck, Dental Postgraduate Programme of the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR), Curitiba, Brazil
Renata Iani Werneck
Affiliation:
Simone Tetu Moysés, Beatriz Helena Sottile França, and Renata Iani Werneck, Dental Postgraduate Programme of the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR), Curitiba, Brazil
Erica Frank
Affiliation:
Erica Frank, School of Population and Public Health of the University of British Columbia (UBC), Vancouver BC, Canada; Samuel Jorge Moysés, Doctor and Teacher on the Dental Postgraduate Programme of the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR) and Tutor, Curitiba, Brazil.
Samuel Jorge Moysés
Affiliation:
Simone Tetu Moysés, Beatriz Helena Sottile França, and Renata Iani Werneck, Dental Postgraduate Programme of the Pontifical Catholic University of Paraná (PUCPR), Curitiba, Brazil
*
Address correspondence to: Gerson Luis Schwab, Rua Mato Grosso, 80, apto. 403, Curitiba – PR, postcode 80620-070, Brazil; (phone) 55 41 3242-4685; (e-mail) glschwab@hotmail.com
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Abstract

Urban health is strongly linked to mental illness, being overweight, smoking behaviors, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and coronary disease; most of these are chronic diseases/conditions. Healthy Cities and Cittaslow are urban initiatives that acknowledge the importance of such societal and cultural contexts and factors as social determinants of health, whereas the more commonly considered factors such as access and use of health care services often have less impact. Changes in social environment and lifestyle are now major determinants of risk and disease at all ages. Based on the principles of Healthy Cities and Cittaslow, this research aimed to establish comparisons and formulate plausible hypotheses for the relationship between healthy cities and chronic diseases/conditions. It is a qualitative observational and comparative study from a socio-anthropological perspective carried out in five cities. Improved capacity of local communities to identify and address problems could be the best outcome from Healthy Cities and Cittaslow. The capacity to change urban environments and social habits to ones that promote a healthier lifestyle may help to lessen the impact of chronic diseases/conditions.

Environmental Practice 17: 16–24 (2015)

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Features
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Environmental Practice , Volume 17 , Issue 1 , March 2015 , pp. 16 - 24
Copyright
© National Association of Environmental Professionals 2015 

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