Porto's diabetes's prevalence : a good reason to rethink urban planning

• Type: Article in International Conference Proceedings Book
• Date: 2010

Authors

Monteiro, Ana (Author) FLUP; Velho, Sara (Author) Other; Sousa, Carlos (Author) Other

Conference proceedings International

Title: Bringing City Form Back in to Planning / CITTA 3rd Annual Conference on Planning Research

Pages: 767-773

CITTA 3rd Annual Conference on PLanning Research

Porto (FEUP), 14 May 2010

Scientific classification

FOS: Social sciences > Social and economic geography

Other information

Abstract (EN): The current Porto’s form and structure, resulting from a history of more than 8 centuries, show some dysfunctions that may be materialized, for example, in some health, quality of life and well being indicators. Having in mind some important risk factors for diabetes (type 2) – i.e. life style, diet, physical activity - and the huge increase of this disease in recent years, we collect and analyze the frequency of occurrence and the spatial distribution of diabetes’s admissions in Porto’s four main hospitals between 2000 and 2007. We conclude that there seem to be, at Porto, some objective and subjective conditions related to urban planning decisions that might help to explain the diabetes’s spatial distribution. Looking from a geographical perspective to the Porto’s urban supply and demand – biogeophysical, functional, demographic, social and economical – we find an, at least apparent, coincidence between the areas where the relative weight of diabetics is higher and the supply of conditions for the practice of leisure and recreation is of lesser quality and socio-economic status of residents is more fragile (age, income, literacy, etc.) Looking through this data relationship, it seems that Porto’s diabetes prevalence may be a good reason to motivate citizens, urban planners and decision-makers to rethink sustainable urban planning policies nowadays.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific