Building Healthy Environments

The built environment- where we live, work, and play - has an effect on many factors related to public health, including obesity, physical activity, and mental health. Generations working together to promote positive health outcomes for people all ages is an approach that can add value to existing efforts to design healthy communities. Intergenerational strategies for building healthy communities include fostering alliances across organizations serving different age groups, developing opportunities for people to remain physically active across the life course, increasing access to fresh food, and creating public spaces that intentionally promote cross-age interaction.

Some facts...

Housing is unaffordable for nearly a quarter of Michigan’s households with kids

Climate change continues to make it difficult for all Michiganders to thrive, with air and water quality issues particularly impacting on younger and older groups

How our communities are planned, designed and built can have a major influence on our health. [RWJ Foundation]
Frequent mental distress increased 61% from 6.6% to 10.6% of adults ages 65+ between 2011 and 2020 [MI Health Rankings 2022]
Obesity increased 21% from 29.5% to 35.6% of adults ages 65+ between 2011 and 2020 [MI Health Rankings 2022]

Child food insecurity rates range, by county, from a low of 6.7% to a high of 26.8%; in other words, a child may be four times more likely to be food insecure depending on where they live. The state average is 15%, and Michigan’s rural and northern counties have the highest rates of food insecurity. (Kids Count)