From Book News, Inc.
Drawing on research on the relationships between urban form and public health, Frank (School of Community and Regional Planning, University of British Columbia) presents information linking the auto-centered built environment to its influence over physical activity and adverse health conditions, and gives suggestions on how land use patterns can be changed to overcome barriers to physical activity.Copyright © 2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR


Book Description

Health and Community Design is a comprehensive examination of how the built environment encourages or discourages physical activity, drawing together insights from a range of research on the relationships between urban form and public health. It provides important information about the factors that influence decisions about physical activity and modes of travel, and about how land use patterns can be changed to help overcome barriers to physical activity. Chapters examine:• the historical relationship between health and urban form in the United States
• why urban and suburban development should be designed to promote moderate types of physical activity
• the divergent needs and requirements of different groups of people and the role of those needs in setting policy
• how different settings make it easier or more difficult to incorporate walking and bicycling into everyday activitiesA concluding chapter reviews the arguments presented and sketches a research agenda for the future.


Book Info
Second author, Peter O. Engelke, is with the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta. Examines how the built environment encourages or discourages physical activity, drawing on research on relationships between urban form and public health. Explores the benefits of urban design accommodating moderate types of physical activity. Softcover.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Health and Community Design is a comprehensive examination of how the built environment encourages or discourages physical activity, drawing together insights from a range of research on the relationships between urban form and public health. It provides important information about the factors that influence decisions about physical activity and modes of travel, and about how land use patterns can be changed to help overcome barriers to physical activity. Chapters examine:• the historical relationship between health and urban form in the United States
• why urban and suburban development should be designed to promote moderate types of physical activity
• the divergent needs and requirements of different groups of people and the role of those needs in setting policy
• how different settings make it easier or more difficult to incorporate walking and bicycling into everyday activitiesA concluding chapter reviews the arguments presented and sketches a research agenda for the future.

SYNOPSIS