Active urbanism: The potential effect of urban design on bone health

ABSTRACT

Health is becoming an increasingly important aspect of built environment design. We aim to bridge the gap between existing knowledge in medicine and its potential applications. This paper tests the extent to which Active Urbanism can facilitate gaining and maintaining bone mass widely across the population through encouraging serendipitous high impact exercise. Based on a review of successful high impact exercise programs, we run a biokinetics experiment in a laboratory measuring ground reaction forces to match field sociological studies in the urban environment. Considering data collected, Active Urbanism can increase the average bone density of an average child not previously involved in sport by 12% in 10 years, and that of an average adult by 2.8% in 10 years. Such a modest increase in bone mass density, if sustained over a lifetime, has the potential to delay the risk of fracture and of osteoporosis by 10 years or more. This new parameter has the potential to support infrastructure and landscape designers to optimize their plans and will need further examination by communities of these practices.

KEYWORDS:

• Health
• active urbanism
• osteoporosis
• playful environment
• hight impact exercise

This article is related to:

Research for city practice

Acknowledgments

The authors thank the students and employees of Coimbra University (Portugal) for their participation in the experiments.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Research was approved by the University of Cambridge Faculty of Architecture and History of Art Ethical Committee;Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council [EP/R513180/1]. Anna Boldina’s doctoral research was sponsored by EPSRC DTP. Travel to Portugal to carry out experiments in collaboration with the University of Coimbra was sponsored by the University of Cambridge Kettle’s Yard Travel Fund.

Notes on contributors

Anna Boldina

Anna Boldina BA(Hons), Dip, March After working for 15 years as an Architect/Urban Designer in various practices in London and internationally, Anna is now applying her collected experience to her PhD research in Urban Design/Sociology/Choice Architecture/Physiology. She is looking for ways to provide opportunities to exercise more effectively during daily pedestrian experiences, whether commutes or walks for pleasure, without extra time spent.

The Martin Centre for Architectural and Urban Studies, Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge, 1-5 Scroope Terrace, Cambridge CB2 1PX, UK

Beatriz Gomes

Beatriz Gomes PhD Beatriz is a professor and subdirector on the Research Unit for Sport and Physical Activity (CIDAF), Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, in the University of Coimbra. Her expertise is in biomechanics, kinesiology, biophysics and exercise.

She is also a subdirector of the faculty and a member of Faculty Assembly and the Scientific Committee.

Beatriz is an athlete and reached the final of K-2 500m at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London.

Research Unit for Sport and Physical Activity (CIDAF), Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education,, Estádio Universitário de Coimbra, Pavilion 3, 3040-156 Coimbra, Portugal

Koen Steemers

Koen Steemers BSc BArch MPhil PhD LLD RIBA ARB Prof Koen is the Professor of Sustainable Design and he has been the Head of Department and Director of Research at the University of Cambridge Department of Architecture. His current research addresses the architectural and urban implications of environmental issues ranging from energy use to human wellbeing. He has over 200 academic publications, including ten books, and worked on numerous large internationally funded research projects related to his area of interest.

The Martin Centre for Architectural and Urban Studies, Department of Architecture, University of Cambridge, 1-5 Scroope Terrace, Cambridge CB2 1PX, UK