Paving the way: Urban Health, Food Systems, and the Imperative for Holistic City-Led Action [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]
Most of the food produced globally is consumed in urban centres, and urban populations rely heavily on purchasing the foods they consume in place of growing, catching, or producing food themselves. Urban populations are thus highly dependent on the types of foods available to them and their relative...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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F1000 Research Ltd
2025-05-01
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| Online Access: | https://f1000research.com/articles/14-513/v1 |
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| author | Luz Maria De Regil Lucy Diekmann Nevin Cohen Lukar Thornton Ana Moragues-Faus Katrina Lundberg |
| author_facet | Luz Maria De Regil Lucy Diekmann Nevin Cohen Lukar Thornton Ana Moragues-Faus Katrina Lundberg |
| author_sort | Luz Maria De Regil |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Most of the food produced globally is consumed in urban centres, and urban populations rely heavily on purchasing the foods they consume in place of growing, catching, or producing food themselves. Urban populations are thus highly dependent on the types of foods available to them and their relative prices. Rapid urbanization is catalysing changes across the food system and in turn, shaping urban diets. Traditionally viewed as a problem predominantly faced by rural areas, food insecurity and malnutrition (both undernutrition and overweight and obesity) are on the rise in urban areas globally. Likewise, urban environments can foster unsafe food environments, increasing the risk of foodborne illnesses and death. Considering an increasingly urbanized world, this paper describes critical links between food systems and urban health. It identifies housing development, digitalization, labour transitions and dietary transitions as emerging and interrelated trends that are changing the way people access, purchase and consume food in urban areas. This paper proposes potential interventions and tools for holistic, city-led policies and actions that make healthier and safer food more available and affordable for everyone, to inspire and encourage practitioners and policymakers at the city, regional, national and international levels to increase their ambition and act urgently. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-0195a2a1beb140dca86df33e0541419b |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2046-1402 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | F1000 Research Ltd |
| record_format | Article |
| series | F1000Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-0195a2a1beb140dca86df33e0541419b2025-08-24T01:00:04ZengF1000 Research LtdF1000Research2046-14022025-05-011410.12688/f1000research.163042.1179337Paving the way: Urban Health, Food Systems, and the Imperative for Holistic City-Led Action [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations]Luz Maria De Regil0Lucy Diekmann1Nevin Cohen2Lukar Thornton3https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8759-8671Ana Moragues-Faus4Katrina Lundberg5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9121-8595World Health Organization, 20 Avenue Appia, Geneva, 1211, SwitzerlandUniversity of California Agriculture and Natural Resources, Davis, California, USACity University of New York, New York City, USADepartment of Marketing, Faculty of Business and Economics, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, BelgiumFood Action and Research Observatory (FARO), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, SpainConsultant to the World Health Organization, Geneva, SwitzerlandMost of the food produced globally is consumed in urban centres, and urban populations rely heavily on purchasing the foods they consume in place of growing, catching, or producing food themselves. Urban populations are thus highly dependent on the types of foods available to them and their relative prices. Rapid urbanization is catalysing changes across the food system and in turn, shaping urban diets. Traditionally viewed as a problem predominantly faced by rural areas, food insecurity and malnutrition (both undernutrition and overweight and obesity) are on the rise in urban areas globally. Likewise, urban environments can foster unsafe food environments, increasing the risk of foodborne illnesses and death. Considering an increasingly urbanized world, this paper describes critical links between food systems and urban health. It identifies housing development, digitalization, labour transitions and dietary transitions as emerging and interrelated trends that are changing the way people access, purchase and consume food in urban areas. This paper proposes potential interventions and tools for holistic, city-led policies and actions that make healthier and safer food more available and affordable for everyone, to inspire and encourage practitioners and policymakers at the city, regional, national and international levels to increase their ambition and act urgently.https://f1000research.com/articles/14-513/v1Food systems nutrition food security food safety urban health citieseng |
| spellingShingle | Luz Maria De Regil Lucy Diekmann Nevin Cohen Lukar Thornton Ana Moragues-Faus Katrina Lundberg Paving the way: Urban Health, Food Systems, and the Imperative for Holistic City-Led Action [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations] F1000Research Food systems nutrition food security food safety urban health cities eng |
| title | Paving the way: Urban Health, Food Systems, and the Imperative for Holistic City-Led Action [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations] |
| title_full | Paving the way: Urban Health, Food Systems, and the Imperative for Holistic City-Led Action [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations] |
| title_fullStr | Paving the way: Urban Health, Food Systems, and the Imperative for Holistic City-Led Action [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations] |
| title_full_unstemmed | Paving the way: Urban Health, Food Systems, and the Imperative for Holistic City-Led Action [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations] |
| title_short | Paving the way: Urban Health, Food Systems, and the Imperative for Holistic City-Led Action [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 2 approved with reservations] |
| title_sort | paving the way urban health food systems and the imperative for holistic city led action version 1 peer review 1 approved 2 approved with reservations |
| topic | Food systems nutrition food security food safety urban health cities eng |
| url | https://f1000research.com/articles/14-513/v1 |
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