Evidence
Experimental studies undertaken in the UK, although few in
number have produced mixed results; the study with the most robust design did
not find convincing evidence for an effect on diet of introducing a supermarket
into a poor area. Studies in this area tend to be primarily ecological in
design and to be relatively few, so it is no surprise that consensus is
difficult with a body of evidence that is only emerging now. The environmental
processes that explain geographic differences in obesity may be different
between countries.
Recent research efforts in urban planning have focused on
the idea that land use and design policies can be used to increase transit use
as well as walking and bicycling. The available evidence lends itself to the
argument that a combination or urban design, land use patterns, and
transportation systems that promotes walking and bicycling will help create
active, healthier, and more livable communities.
Neighbourhood design also influences activity behaviours by
shaping how people get from place to place, where they spend their leisure
time, where they exercise, and the social norms and perceptions that impact how
people use their neighbourhoods. Availability of recreational facilities and parks
also appears to influence exercise behaviours. Access to facilities is
associated with increased physical activity for children, adolescents, adults,
and the elderly. Increased walking and physical activity have also been
reported for those with better access to high-quality open and green space.
Although the association was weak, any effect of exercise
facilities is pervasive in the community. Therefore, interventions that increase
the availability of appropriate exercise facilities would likely have
small effects on particular individuals while having a substantial cumulative
effect on the community.
Environmental and Policy Interventions
Information Environment
-
Provide prompts to be active delivered by TV/ radio/
billboards/ Internet.
-
Publicize incentive programs or physical activity contests.
-
Require TV broadcasters to dedicate equal time to promoting
physical activity.
Suburban Environments
-
Establish walking/ biking trails separate from roads that
connect homes with shopping parks.
-
Target incentive programs for suburban dwellers to use cars
less.
-
Require building codes to mandate that shopping be within 10
minutes walk of all homes.
-
Require green ways for active transport.
-
Require numerous parks and recreational centres.
Buildings
-
Separate buildings from parking lots by green space.
-
Make stairwells open accessible and attractive.
-
Sponsor competitions for stair use in multi-storey buildings.
-
Change building codes to require parking lots located away
from buildings.
Work site Environs
-
Provide secure parking for bicycles.
-
Subsidize health club membership for employees.
-
Require showers and changing rooms in workplaces.
Entertainment Infrastructure
-
Develop more electronic games for children that require
activity.
-
Have ads after movies that encourage activity.
-
Health agencies should give rewards to entertainment companies
that do the most to promote physical activity.
-
Require activity promotion ads on TV and after movies.
Transportation Infrastructure
-
Build more walking/ biking trails.
-
Provide more bike carriers on buses.
-
Give rewards to areas with best programs promoting active
transportation.
Recreation Infrastructure
-
Provide more parks and supervised programs for children and
adults.
-
Give rewards to park and recreation departments most effective
in promoting physical activity.
-
Provide more funding for parks and recreation.
Interdisciplinary Solution
-
Public health and behavioral science bring strong
quantitative approaches to measurement development and evaluation.
-
The planning and transportation fields bring concepts and
measures for built environments at the community level.
-
The leisure studies and recreation fields bring rich knowledge
of recreation environments that are critical settings for physical activity as
well as a strong tradition of assessing aesthetics.
-
Architects can bring knowledge of buildings where people spend
most of their time; landscape architects can bring assessments of outdoor
spaces; geographers can enhance application of GIS; and criminologists can add
measure of crime, safety and security.
Political Agenda
At the macro level, the political environment concerning
food refers to government food and nutrition policies, regulations and laws,
and food industry policies and standards. Food regulations are important because
they determine the kinds of labels on foods, the use of health claims on food
packages and in advertising, the use of health-related nutritional descriptions
in the consumer marketplace, all of which can significantly influence food
choices.
Biophilia Hypothesis
Naturalistic
The naturalistic tendency can be regarded as the
satisfaction derived from direct contact with nature. At a more complex and
profound level, the naturalistic value encompasses a sense of fascination,
wonder and awe derived from an intimate experience of nature’s diversity and
complexity. This tendency has been cited as providing an important basis for
physical fitness and the acquisition of various “outdoor skills” such as
climbing, hiking, tracking and orienteering. The possession of these skills and
associated states of mental and physical well-being have been empirically
described for a variety of outdoors activities with a strong emphasis on the
naturalistic experience. The mental benefits of these activities have been related
to tension release, relaxation, peace of mind, and enhanced creativity.
Aesthetic
The physical beauty of nature is
certainly among its most powerful appeals to the human animal. The human need
for an aesthetic experience of nature has been suggested by the apparent
inadequacy of artificial or human-made substitutes when people are exposed to
them.
Precedent Studies
Please find below a series of links to PDF documents
summarizing the first stage of research identifying relevant designs. Projects
were chosen due to their close proximity and interplay with water and nature as
sources for inspiration.
Biophilic design became a basis for design principals, often
used in urban interventions to inspire members of the public to undertake active
modes of transport. The naturalistic and aesthetic tendencies of which prove to
be powerful motive forces particularly applicable to my design project.
