Is Your Postcode Making You Unhealthy?

April 7th marks World Health day (1000 cities - 1000 lives), which this year focuses on health in an urban environment. Here I examine why urban dwellers fall short on health and how to have Health & the City.

Location, location, location! It's one of the most important things to consider when we buy or rent a place. However, few of us think about how this postcode may impact our health. Rising property prices and a competitive rental market, combined with people wanting larger homes has seen many of us move to the outer suburbs. This phenomenon, known as urban sprawl, is characterised by unplanned and uncontrolled spread or urban development and results in a dependency on cars or public transport to travel from home to office.

Thanks to urban design, not all of us have access to parks, gyms and sporting fields; have any healthy food outlets close by; are in walking distance to local shops; or have decent footpaths to walk on. Alarmingly, growing research is suggesting that the shape of our cities could be dictating the shape of our waistline.

Irrespective of income, research shows people living in sprawled cities are less likely to walk to due safety concerns; are less likely to purchase healthy food as more fast food outlets are present; have a higher body mass index; and exercise less because they have access to fewer kilometres of walking tracks.

While changing your postcode may not be a feasible strategy, you can still become aware of how your living environment influences your health and wellbeing so that you manipulate your circumstances towards a healthier lifestyle. Here's how:

• Know your surroundings: Investigate your local area for parks, walking tracks, healthy cafes and takeaway outlets, fitness centres, public transport routes, supermarkets and corner stores. Identifying what you have access to makes living a healthy lifestyle easier.
• Exercise in numbers: If you're living in a dangerous area, workout in numbers. Train with a group of friends or join a personal training group. Alternatively search for a local fitness club or workout in the comfort of your own home.
• Become a smart traveller: While you may not be able to actively commute the whole way into the office, you can still walk or cycle part of the way. You could walk to the train station or get off a few stops early and jog the rest of the way.
• Shop regularly: Plan your meals out each week and make an effort to visit the supermarket weekly. If you know you will be working back late cook a lasagne or quiche on the weekend in preparation. This will reduce the need to swing by the drive thru after a long day in the office.
• Walk, walk, walk: Ever noticed that it can take the same amount of time to drive to the shops as it takes to walk? So instead of wasting time in the traffic, get your daily exercise in by walking to get the paper or visit a friend.