Search Results (162)

Adolescent obesity is a growing public health concern, as poor dietary patterns contribute to nutrient deficiencies. In particular, dietary fiber and omega-3 fatty acids are underconsumed yet critical for cardiometabolic and mental health. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess high school students’ knowledge of (1) obesity as a disease, (2) the role of fiber, and (3) omega-3 fatty acids, and to identify sociodemographic predictors of this knowledge. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in January–March 2024 among 205 students (aged 14–19) from public high schools in Tri-City, Poland. Knowledge was assessed using an adapted part of the KomPAN questionnaire. Logistic regression models examined associations between knowledge and demographic variables (age, gender, academic profile). Results: Overall, 66.8% of students recognized obesity as a disease, 27% correctly identified omega-3 sources, and 60% demonstrated accurate knowledge regarding dietary fiber. The academic profile was the strongest predictor. Compared with students in Natural Sciences tracks, those in other educational tracks demonstrated significantly lower probabilities of providing correct responses (fiber: OR = 0.38, 95% CI: 0.21–0.71; omega-3: OR = 0.41, 95% CI: 0.23–0.76; obesity: OR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.25–0.90). Age and gender were not significant predictors. Conclusions: Nutrition knowledge among adolescents is moderate, with notable gaps in understanding the specific components of a healthy diet such as dietary fiber and omega-3 fatty acids. Tailored educational interventions, combined with supportive school environments, may improve knowledge and promote healthier dietary behaviors. Full article

Tropospheric ozone (O₃) pollution is a major concern in urban environments because of its toxicity for both people and vegetation. This paper review provides an overview of atmospheric mechanisms, as well as the potential and best management practices of urban greening for reducing O₃ pollution in cities. Urban greening has often been proposed as a cost-effective solution to reduce O₃ pollution, but its effectiveness depends on careful species selection and integration with broader air quality management strategies. Ozone is a secondary pollutant and the volatile organic compounds emitted by vegetation (BVOCs) can play a prominent role in O₃ formation. A list of recommended and to-avoid species is given here to drive future planting at city scale. Planting low BVOC-emitting species and combining greening with reductions in anthropogenic emissions are key to maximizing benefits and minimizing unintended increases in O₃. Public and non-public institutions should carefully select plant species in consultation with expert scientists from the early stages, e.g., by considering local conditions and pollutant dynamics to design effective greening interventions. Collaborative planning among urban ecologists, atmospheric scientists, and municipalities is thus crucial to ensure that greening interventions contribute to overall air quality improvements rather than inadvertently enhancing O₃ formation. Such improvements will also translate into plant protection from O₃ stress. Therefore, future directions of research and policy integration to achieve healthier, O₃-resilient urban ecosystems are also provided. Full article

This contribution introduces the novel concept of Eco-Salute Infrastructure in the Built Environment (ESI) as a framework for urban planning that focuses on promoting environmental health and improving human well-being. The ESI framework expands on previous concepts that explore the relationship between human well-being and urban design with the aim to create healthier cities and enhance people’s quality of life. The paper presents existing evidence from research literature that supports the notion that ESI can foster human well-being in urban areas. Overall, implementing an ESI approach, which involves designing infrastructure and architecture that support active mobility and physical activity, creating appealing public spaces that encourage outdoor activities, and providing urban residents with increased access to high-quality, biodiverse green spaces holds significant potential for enhancing human health and well-being, in general, and in the face of additional threats caused by the climate crisis. Further research is needed to provide more evidence for the health effects of ESI and to uncover synergies between human and environmental health in regard to urban design. Full article

Urban parks play a crucial role in mitigating urban heat stress and maintaining ecological stability through their cold island effect (PCIE). However, studies examining how multidimensional urban morphology influences these effects, particularly from a diurnal perspective in island cities, remain limited. This study investigates 30 representative urban parks within a typical island city, exploring how two-dimensional and three-dimensional spatial morphological factors affect four key PCIE indicators: park cooling intensity (PCI), park cooling gradient (PCG), park cooling area (PCA) and park cooling efficiency (PCE) across different times of day and night. The results reveal that: (1) coastal zones exhibit significantly lower land surface temperature (LST) than inland zones, with peak LST occurring at 5:00 p.m.; (2) the four cold island indicators follow a diurnal pattern of 5:00 p.m. > 1:00 a.m. > 7:00 a.m.; (3) morphological construction factors—such as building density (BD) and built-up proportion (BP)—positively contribute to cooling effects at 7:00 a.m., while park perimeter (PP) enhances cooling performance at both 5:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. Additionally, vegetation characteristics surrounding parks, including the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and green space proportion (GP), influence daytime cooling in directions opposite to those of the aforementioned construction-related factors. These findings offer valuable insights into the temporal dynamics and spatial determinants of urban park cooling in island cities, providing a scientific basis for scientifically informed park planning and contributing to healthier and more sustainable urban development. Full article

Overweight has become a major public health concern in China’s rapidly urbanizing cities. Patterns of environmental exposure differ notably between men and women, both before and after marriage. This study examines how built environment characteristics influence the risk of overweight, with particular attention to nonlinear associations as well as variations by marital status and gender. Drawing on survey data from 2634 Shanghai residents, we applied extreme gradient boosting to model complex environment–health relationships. The results indicate that greenness, park accessibility, population density, and transit conditions are associated with overweight through nonlinear pathways, with threshold and plateau effects suggesting that benefits taper off, or risks escalate, beyond certain levels. These optimal ranges differ across gender–marriage groups: moderate density and green exposure were generally protective, but the effective ranges were narrower for women and unmarried individuals. Married men benefited more consistently, likely supported by healthier routines reinforced through spousal support, whereas married women showed weaker or even adverse effects, potentially due to greater family responsibilities. Overall, the findings reveal that overweight is shaped by socially differentiated nonlinearities in environmental exposures. Urban planning and public health policies should therefore optimize built environment attributes within effective ranges and tailor interventions to diverse demographic groups. Full article

Urban green spaces are essential for promoting human health and well-being, especially in cities facing increasing noise pollution and ecological stress. This study investigates the effects of audio-visual interaction on restorative outcomes across three soundscape types (park, residential, and street), focusing on the compensatory role of positive visual stimuli in low-quality soundscape environments. Thirty-two university students participated in a controlled evaluation using soundscapes and corresponding visual materials derived from 30 urban green spaces. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed significant main effects of soundscape type and modality (auditory vs. audio-visual), as well as a significant interaction between these factors. Audio-visual conditions consistently outperformed auditory conditions, with the strongest restorative effects observed in noisy street soundscapes when paired with positive visual stimuli. Further analysis highlighted that visual cleanliness and structural clarity significantly enhanced restorative outcomes in challenging environments. These findings align with existing theories of sensory integration and extend their application to large-scale urban settings. This study shows that multi-sensory optimization can mitigate urban environmental stressors, supporting healthier, more resilient, and sustainable urban environments. Future research should explore long-term and cross-cultural applications to inform evidence-based urban planning and public health policies. Full article

Urbanization and intensified human activity have significantly impacted city climates, amplifying the urban heat island effect and increasing thermal stress on residents. This study focuses on the design of a pocket park in the Municipality of Kallithea as a targeted bioclimatic intervention. Through the integration of on-site microclimate measurements, GIS mapping, and 2D design tools, the research evaluates key bioclimatic indicators to inform climate-responsive design strategies. Proposed solutions include the use of cool materials, reflective surfaces, permeable pavements, and water features to enhance natural ventilation and mitigate surface temperatures. The project demonstrates how small-scale green infrastructure can improve thermal comfort in dense urban areas while supporting sustainability goals. By highlighting the potential of localized interventions, the study contributes to the broader discourse on urban resilience and the role of bioclimatic planning in creating healthier, more livable cities. Full article

The rapid urban growth in Saudi Arabia has intensified challenges in sustainable solid waste management, particularly in selecting suitable landfill sites that minimize environmental risks and protect public health. Tabuk Province, located in the northwest of the Kingdom, represents a region where arid climatic conditions, fragile ecosystems, and increasing urbanization make landfill sitting highly complex. Traditional decision-making approaches often struggle to capture uncertainties in expert opinions and spatial data, leading to less reliable outcomes. While Geographic Information Systems and Multicriteria Decision-Making have been applied to this field, the explicit integration of fuzzy logic remains limited, especially in arid regions. This study addresses this gap by combining the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process with Geographic Information Systems to establish a more robust framework for landfill site selection in Tabuk. Seven critical criteria were considered, including distance from major roads, airports, urban centers, coastlines, wetlands, and protected areas, with expert assessments analyzed through fuzzy reasoning to improve decision reliability. The results generated a spatial suitability map highlighting priority zones for landfill development, particularly in the western and southwestern areas of the province, where environmental sensitivity is lower and accessibility to infrastructure is greater. The findings emphasize that proximity to urban areas and road networks are dominant factors influencing suitability. The novelty of this study lies in its methodological integration, which enhances transparency, adaptability, and objectivity in landfill sitting. By promoting environmentally responsible waste management, the framework directly supports the Sustainable Development Goal of Good Health and Well-Being and the Sustainable Development Goal of Sustainable Cities and Communities, ensuring safer urban development and healthier living conditions. Moreover, the approach is transferable to other arid and semi-arid regions, offering valuable insights for countries facing similar challenges in sustainable urban planning. Full article

Urban parks play a crucial role in promoting physical and mental health by providing green spaces for recreation, relaxation, and social interaction. However, access to these spaces is often constrained by the structure and performance of public transportation networks—particularly in megacities marked by spatial and social inequalities. This study evaluates equitable access to urban parks in Mexico City through the public transit system, using centrality-based metrics within a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) network analysis framework. Parks are categorized by size (small: 0.3–1 ha; medium: 1–4.5 ha; large: >4.5 ha), and three centrality measures—reach, gravity, and closeness—are applied to assess their accessibility via different transport modes: Metro, bus rapid transit (BRT), trolleybuses, public buses, and concessioned services. Results show that Metro stations are more connected to large parks, while BRT and trolleybus lines improve access to small and medium parks. Concessioned services, however, present fragmented and uneven coverage, reinforcing socio-spatial disparities in access to green infrastructure. The findings underscore the importance of integrated, multimodal transportation planning to enhance equitable access to parks—an essential component of urban health and well-being. By highlighting the spatial patterns of accessibility, this study contributes to designing healthier and more inclusive public spaces in the city, supporting policy frameworks that advance health equity and urban sustainability. Full article

Cities play a vital role in creating wealth and ensuring the well-being of all their inhabitants. However, major international efforts aimed at fostering fairer, healthier, and a more sustainable world have been compromised by the widespread effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The objective of this research is to determine key priorities for addressing the pandemic’s impact in both the present and in a future urban context. Therefore, this study applies the Delphi method to a panel of 24 experts in order to identify the most and least important targets from Sustainable Development Goal 11 for post-COVID-19 sustainable urban planning in Cuenca, Ecuador. Out of the twelve targets, only five were prioritized, including “Target 11.1 Affordable housing”, Target 11.3 Sustainable Urbanization”, “Target 11.9 Implement policies for inclusion and property rights”, and “Target 6.3 Improve water quality”. These findings can serve as a foundation for future public policies and strategies for sustainable urban planning of the city. Full article

Urban green spaces are important nature-based solutions to mitigate climate change. While the distribution of green spaces within cities is well documented, few studies assess whether inequities in green space quantity (i.e., percent cover) are mirrored by inequities in green space quality (i.e., vegetation health or sensitivity to stressors). Green space quality is important to measure alongside green space quantity because vegetation that is healthier and less sensitive to stressors such as climatic fluctuations sustain critical ecosystem services through stressful environmental conditions, especially as the climate changes. We use a 40-year remote sensing dataset to examine the spatial patterns and underlying drivers of vegetation sensitivity to short-term (monthly) climate fluctuations in Chicago. Our results show that although vegetation cover was not equitably distributed between racially and ethnically segregated census tracts, socio-demographic composition was not a key driver of spatial variation in short-term vegetation sensitivity to climate. Instead, we found that vegetation growth form was a strong predictor of differences in vegetation sensitivity among communities. At the census tract level, higher herbaceous/shrub cover was associated with increased sensitivity to climate, while higher tree cover was associated with decreased sensitivity. These results suggest that urban green spaces comprising trees will be less sensitive (i.e., more resistant) to short-term climate fluctuations than those comprising predominately herbaceous or shrub cover. Our findings highlight that urban green space quality can vary spatially within cities; however, more work is needed to understand how the drivers of vegetation sensitivity vary among cities, especially those experiencing different climatic regimes. This work is key to planning and planting high-quality, climate change-resilient and equitable urban green spaces. Full article

The Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region faces persistent challenges of inequality, climate change vulnerability, and deteriorating air quality. The Aburrá Valley, where Medellín is located, is a narrow tropical valley with complex topography, strong thermal inversions, and unstable atmospheric conditions, all of which exacerbate the accumulation of pollutants. In Medellín, ${\mathrm{NO}}_2$ concentrations have remained nearly unchanged over the past eight years, consistently approaching critical thresholds, despite the implementation of air quality control strategies. These persistent high concentrations are closely linked to the variability of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) and are often intensified by prolonged dry periods. This study focuses on a representative street canyon in Medellín that has undergone recent urban interventions, including the construction of new public spaces and pedestrian areas, without explicitly considering their impact on ${\mathrm{NO}}_x$ dispersion. Using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations, this work evaluates the influence of urban morphology on ${\mathrm{NO}}_x$ accumulation. The results reveal that areas with high Aspect Ratios (AR > 0.65) and dense vegetation exhibit reduced wind speeds at the pedestrian level—up to 40% lower compared to open zones—and higher ${\mathrm{NO}}_2$ concentrations, with maximum simulated values exceeding 50 μg/m³. This study demonstrates that the design of pedestrian corridors in complex urban environments like Medellín can unintentionally create pollutant accumulation zones, underscoring the importance of integrating air quality considerations into urban planning. The findings provide actionable insights for policymakers, emphasizing the need for comprehensive modeling and field validation to ensure healthier urban spaces in cities affected by persistent air quality issues. Full article

In recent studies, public health has been considered a key stakeholder in climate mitigation and adaptation in cities since they are more exposed to the impact of climate change. Nurses represent a vast majority of public health professionals, playing a key role in health promotion that allows them to influence individuals, families, and communities in adopting healthier behaviours and decarbonized lifestyles. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to map the existing evidence on nursing interventions, which are being led or implemented to reduce the health risks related to climate change in urban areas. The present review follows the JBI methodological framework, including a search on PubMed, MEDLINE complete, CINAHL Complete, Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online), BASE (Bielefeld Academic Search Engine), and RCAAP. Hand searched references were also considered, including quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods studies between January 2014 and October 2024, for a more contemporary perspective. A three-step search strategy and data extraction tool were used by two independent reviewers. Twenty-seven studies in English and Portuguese were eligible for inclusion, all targeting a population of professionals with nursing-related roles: two case studies, one Delphi panel, one descriptive study, one historical research paper, two using a methodological design format, four narrative reviews, one observational study, nine review articles, three scoping reviews, and three systematic reviews. Eight categories of nursing interventions that contribute to decarbonized lifestyles, reducing health risks in relation to climate change, were acknowledged. Nurses play a key role in empowering individuals, families, and communities, promoting climate awareness and literacy, supporting health policy change, advocating for the most vulnerable and engaging in environmental activism, using evidence-based research, and taking advantage of marketing strategies and social media. Full article

Background: Skipping breakfast, a prevalent issue among children and adolescents, has been reported to be associated with academic performance and long-term health. However, less attention has been given to the types of breakfast foods consumed. Therefore, our study aims to investigate the association between breakfast variety and dietary knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) among preadolescents. Methods: The study included 1449 students in grades 4–6 from Zhongshan city, Guangdong province. Data were collected through face-to-face field investigation using a validated questionnaire. The questionnaire encompassed sociodemographic characteristics, as well as dietary KAP. Results: Among all participants, 1315 reported consuming breakfast daily. Dietary diversity varied significantly: 8.8% consumed only 1 type of food, 52.9% consumed 2–4 types, and 38.3% consumed ≥5 types. Students who consumed a greater variety of breakfast foods exhibited more favorable dietary and lifestyle patterns. Specifically, those who consumed ≥5 types of food showed statistically significant associations with healthier practices, including reduced intake of sugary beverages and night snacks, stronger adherence to dietary guidelines, more positive attitudes toward improving eating habits, longer sleep durations, increased participation in meal preparation, greater dish variety in meals, and higher engagement in daily physical activity. Conclusions: Breakfast variety was associated with KAP, particularly when breakfast types ≥ 5, providing more sufficient and favorable evidence for breakfast consumption. Full article

Urban green spaces (UGSs) and forests play a vital role in shaping sustainable and livable cities, offering not only ecological benefits but also spaces that are essential for human well-being, social interactions, and everyday life. Understanding the landscape features that resonate most with public preferences is essential for enhancing the appeal, accessibility, and functionality of these environments. However, traditional approaches—such as surveys or single-data analyses—often lack the nuance needed to capture the complex and multisensory nature of human responses to green spaces. This study explores a cross-modal methodology that integrates natural language processing (NLP) and deep learning techniques to analyze text and image data collected from public reviews of 19 urban parks in Nanjing. By capturing both subjective emotional expressions and objective visual impressions, this study reveals a consistent public preference for natural landscapes, particularly those featuring evergreen trees, shrubs, and floral elements. Text-based data reflect users’ lived experiences and nuanced perceptions, while image data offers insights into visual appeal and spatial composition. By bridging human-centered insights with data-driven analysis, this research provides a robust framework for evaluating landscape preferences. It also underscores the importance of designing green spaces that are not only ecologically sound but also emotionally resonant and socially inclusive. The findings offer valuable guidance for the planning, design, and adaptive management of urban green infrastructure in ways that support healthier, more responsive, and smarter urban environments. Full article