What the Healthiest Cities in the World Are Doing Differently

What causes certain cities to have a higher incidence of people living past 90 years and others to have their people dying at younger ages due to chronic diseases? One common explanation is that it is a complicated, multi-faceted answer. The cities that are considered the healthiest in the world have taken many elements into account regarding how the streets are structured, how food is produced and distributed, how mental health is provided for and how community is integrated into public life. This is what the healthiest cities are doing and what the cities elsewhere can learn from them.

They Design Streets for People, Not Cars

The healthiest cities focus their city planning and street building around the human body. They design their streets to encourage walking and cycling rather than to focus on cars. The outcome of these cities is a population that is active, not because of a gym but because the city is designed to make movement the easiest option.

Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen is one of the most liveable and healthiest cities in the world and that notoriety largely comes from how developed their cycling infastructure is. 60% of city residents are employed in jobs that require them to bike to work or to school. The city has prioritised building lanes dedicated to bike users, creating smooth roads and adjusting the timing on stop lights to help cyclists rather than cars.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

Amsterdam’s intertwined canals and pathways make walking and cycling the most efficient form of transportation. The city has increasingly narrowed road space, converting car lanes to wider sidewalks, outdoor dining and cycling paths. This has a positive effect on the health of the population, as air quality is improved, social interactions are encouraged and the streets are quieter.

They Take Air Quality Seriously

The poor quality of air, as a result of urbanisation, has a large and insidious effect on the health of the general population. The pollution is made up of fine particulate matter that settle in the lungs. The effect of the pollution is chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and cardiovascular disease, which will shorten the lifespan of those affected. The best cities in the world have made great efforts to ensure that air quality is of the best standard in the in order to protect public health.

Oslo, Norway

Oslo has made a great deal of progress in improving the air quality. They have enforced a congestion charge and expanded the network of electric vehicle charging points, as well as making the city center of Oslo a zone where the driving of cars is not permitted. Oslo has been one of the world leaders in the adoption of electric cars, due to government policy and charge. This has had a very positive effect of air quality in urban areas.

Helsinki, Finland

Helsinki’s public transport is considered one of thw most developed and integrated in the world. The city is trying to remove the need to own a car by 2030. Instead of banning, they will remove the need to own a car by making public transport (buses, trams and a metro) so affordable and convenient, that people will not need to own a car. With fewer cars there will be a positive impact on air quality.

They Invest in Green Space

Green spaces in cities not only create a pleasant visual, they provide a positive impact on the residents existance. It has been proven that people who live within walking distance to a park, forest, or any body of water are less stressed and sleep better. The positive impacts of green spaces are endless. The most healthy cities provide green spaces and treat them as vital infrastructure.

Singapore, Singapore

Singapore is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, yet is in the process of ensuring it is just a 10 min walk to a park for every resident. Green corridors are used throughout the city, Integration of nature and architecture is the norm (trees grow from the face of the buildings, rooftop gardens, etc).

Vienna, Austria

Vienna has green space cover about 50% of the city. The city with the most population in Austria has the Wienerwald (Vienna Woods) which is 30 minutes away by public transport. The Wienerwald is a forest that is a popular recreational area for cycling and walking. This city places a lot of importance on nature conservation activities by building green parks and planting street trees to make richer neighborhoods the same green density as the poorer neighborhoods.

They Build Food Systems That Support Health

Having access to healthy food is not about personal choices people make. It’s about policies, urban agriculture and market regulation that is most convenient and available for residents.

Tokyo, Japan

The Japanese food culture combined with a fully developed federal food structure supports Tokyo in making food a key determinant of imroving health outcomes. Tokyo has more restaurants than any other cities in the world. Despite being the city with most restaurants, the Japanese rich culture of cooking means that a majority of the cuisines are made of vegetables, fish, fermented food and other microorganisms. To add even more to the food culture, the city has a firm structure of schools offering lunches that are nutritionally balanced and largely unprocessed.

Zurich, Switzerland

Zurich has greatly inspired residential neighborhoods throughout the city with a significant investment in urban agriculture, community gardens and farmers’ markets. There is a considerable and commendable effort throughout the city for the municipal food policy. Zurich has successfully reduced the prevalence of fast food advertising around schools and other public spaces.

They Prioritise Mental Health

The best cities know that mental health is as important as physical health and invest in mental and social health infrastructure like public libraries, community centres and arts venues, as well as public spaces that are designed to give residents a sense of social connection. The most successful cities in public health know that the sense of social connection and community is the most important aspect of a healthy and socially functional community. Loneliness is increasingly recognised as a public health crisis comparable to smoking in its long-term effects on mortality. The healthiest cities take this seriously.

Copenhagen, Denmark

Copenhagen has a strong system of mental health supports integrated into its social model. The welfare systems, coupled with a flexible work life balance, help reduce financial worries. The principle of ‘Hygge ‘is a cultural notion of wellbeing through cosiness, togetherness and comfort. This is a social practice that values authentic conversation and relationships, as opposed to a focus on status and productivity. Informal community spaces cultivate health-promoting interactions, leading to communities that are significantly healthier.

Melbourne, Australia

Melbourne has made a considerable financial commitment to systems of community mental health, including community health hubs integrated into local neighbourhoods, as well as walk-in mental health centres. Psychosocial support has also been targeted to younger and older community members through intergenerational initiatives and local volunteering networks, which have, in part, been designed to help reduce social isolation.