Poor urban planning is contributing to rising cardiovascular disease in India, study concludes

National and state governments need to act to encourage “active transport,” researchers have said, after finding that Indians who cycle, walk, and use public transport to travel to and from work have a reduced risk of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.1

Rapid economic and population growth in India have increased car ownership and migration to urban areas, leading to unplanned urbanisation at a time when consumption of energy dense food has risen. The result is an epidemic of non-communicable diseases which accounts for “62% of the total burden of foregone DALYs [disability adjusted life …