Food and Health

“More than 422 million people worldwide have diabetes. If we are to change the trajectory of the disease, a clinical response is essential but not enough. We must turn our imagination towards social factors and cultural determinants to design new and different interventions.”

Three out of four people with diabetes reside in cities. Reduced access to fresh ingredients or healthy prepared meals is a leading cause of lifestyle diseases such as obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and more. Gehl and Cities Changing Diabetes have been working together to design a future where people’s everyday behavior can improve their own health and that of their community. Food security is a key pillar of the population’s general health. Being food secure means being sure that you can access enough nutritious food to sustain your quality of life, stay healthy, and participate in society.

Over the last ten years, food security has been defined by the economic means of individuals and the distance between their home and the grocery stores. We expand this definition to also take social and cultural determinants of health into account. Disconnection from where food is produced, disinvestment in the public realm, dwindling social programs, intricate and inefficient distribution systems, social isolation, broken mobility networks, and a lack of affordable housing are just some of the factors that contribute to food insecurity as well as chronic lifestyle diseases. Global events over the last few years have worsened the conditions, creating ripple effects that negatively impact food access for people living in Portugal. Working with Foodscapes is a first step in creating a shared understanding of how the public realm can facilitate healthy habits and food routines in cities.