Designed for life: building cities that make us healthier

Designed for life: Building cities that make us healthier

Is your neighbourhood helping you live longer – or quietly making you ill?

Chronic diseases like cancer, diabetes and heart conditions now account for 70% of deaths worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. These illnesses put pressure on the NHS and rob millions of the chance to live full, healthy lives. While genetics and lifestyle choices play a role, there's another factor at play: the places that we live.

Join Professor Kathy Pain, with Professor Antoni Chan, for this thought-provoking public lecture that explores how urban environments shape our health for better or worse. Drawing on insights from both urban planning and clinical medicine, they’ll explore why some postcodes can add years to your life while others take them away, and offer practical steps you can take to advocate for better, healthier neighbourhoods.

About the speakers

Professor Kathy Pain is an expert in sustainable urban development at Henley Business School, University of Reading. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences and a corporate member of the Royal Town Planning Institute. Her expertise has made her a trusted advisor to governments and research bodies from the UK to China on how cities can support human health and wellbeing.

Professor Antoni Chan is Clinical Lead in Rheumatology at Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust, and will bring a vital clinical perspective to the conversation on urban health. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and a member of the British Society for Immunology.

This free event is open to all and will be held in person, with a livestream available for those wishing to watch online.