Results from: "Neighbourhood built environment and cardiovascular disease: knowledge and future directions"
Koohsari MJ, McCormack GR, Nakaya T, Oka, K
Current knowledge
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) in increasingly prevalent among western countries (1). A growing body of literature has found associations between neighbourhood built features, (e.g. land use mix, residential density, food destinations, transportation infrastructure, etc.) and individuals' health behaviours (1,2). These behavioural pathways can influence the development of clinical CVD risk factors, such as obesity and hypertension (1,2). Incorporating this current evidence into public policies and planning may be important for preventing CVD at the neighbourhood level.
Future directions
Much of the current knowledge is based on preliminary evidence from studies that have not been replicated. To better understand the relationship between the neighbourhood built environment and CVD, future studies should consider addressing the conceptual, methodological, and policy-related limitations within the current literature. Interdisciplinary research initiatives may be critical in establishing a more comprehensive awareness to the influence of built environmental features on CVD risk.
Suggested Citation: Koohsari MJ, McCormack GR, Nakaya T, Oka K. Neighbourhood built environment and cardiovascular disease: knowledge and future directions. Nature Reviews Cardiology. 2020 May;17(5):261-3.
References:
Nieuwenhuijsen MJ. Influence of urban and transport planning and the city environment on cardiovascular disease. Nature reviews cardiology. 2018 Jul;15(7):432-8.
Chandrabose M, Rachele JN, Gunn L, Kavanagh A, Owen N, Turrell G, Giles‐Corti B, Sugiyama T. Built environment and cardio‐metabolic health: systematic review and meta‐analysis of longitudinal studies. Obesity reviews. 2019 Jan;20(1):41-54.
Posted April 15, 2020
Written by Emma Chong
Infographic by Emma Chong
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