Major new global urban health project to reduce inequalities launches

A major new research partnership, led by UCL and Imperial College London, to understand how we can transform cities around the world to support healthier lives, whilst also protecting the planet, has been set up with a £10m grant from Wellcome. Coordinated from London, but with a network of expert scientists and practitioners across four continents, the partnership comprises two integrated urban health projects. Their aim is to provide the evidence needed to help policy makers and governments take actions to improve the health of their populations and the planet, in a way that minimises health inequality. The researchers will work closely with the 10 cities, gather local data and then use computer modelling to test policies such as safe low-income housing or large public transport systems to see whether they are likely to be successful, and to unearth unintended consequences. Over half the world's population now live in cities, by 2050 this is expected to rise to 70%. People who live in cities are on average healthier than those living rurally, mainly due to the concentration of economic activity and extensive public services. However, as more and more people are exposed to city life, these services are stretched and stressed, and the urban poor fall behind.