Neighborhood environment and human health based on cohort data

2020 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K13885
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 23030:Architectural planning and city planning-related
• Research Institution: Chiba University
• Principal Investigator: Suzuki Norimichi 千葉大学, 予防医学センター, 特任准教授 (90724849)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2021-03-31
• Keywords: 建造環境 / 予防医学 / 疫学調査 / 公衆衛生 / 近隣環境

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Health and illness have long been thought of as individual problems. However, it has begun to be shown that the neighborhood environment can affect human health.
In this study, we calculated the percentage of sidewalks, the number of food stores, the slope of streets, and other built environments in the neighborhoods where we live, and showed the relationship between these factors and depression, dementia, death, and abuse. By considering the improvement of the community environment from the perspective of health, we have shown the possibility of proposing measures for a country with a declining birthrate and an aging population.

Free Research Field

予防医学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

日本においても2012 年に厚生労働省が「健康日本21（第二次）」を，2014 年に国土交通省が「健康・医療・福祉のまちづくりの推進ガイドライン」を公表しており，今まさに、都市・地域の在り方と健康への問題提起が強くなされている．低出生率に伴い，総人口が減少する一方，高齢化率は上昇し続けており，「少子・高齢化」は世界に先駆けて我が国が解決すべき重要課題となっている.これらの解決に向けた将来ビジョンとは，都市を軸とした社会経済システムの実現，すなわち〈地域社会の活性化〉であり，〈母子・高齢者の健康に寄与する都市・地域構造の解明〉，さらには持続可能な都市の実現は，人類共通の課題であると言える.