Sedentary lifestyles have contributed to a global rise in non-communicable diseases, mental health issues, and social disconnection. In response, scholars and policymakers have increasingly turned their attention to the built environment as a catalyst for promoting physical activity, active living, and well-being. The built environment—which includes elements such as density, land use patterns, streetscapes, parks, and public transportation—has a demonstrable impact on how frequently and intensely people engage in physical activity throughout their lives. This Research Topic emerges at a pivotal moment as cities worldwide seek to align health-promoting physical settings with inclusive and sustainable urban development goals.
The primary aim of this Research Topic is to explore how the built environment can be designed, evaluated, and governed to promote active living and well-being. While evidence supporting the health benefits of walkable and activity-supportive environment continues to grow, gaps remain in understanding how urban planning, public policy, community engagement, and technological tools interact to shape healthy behavior. This topic invites researchers to examine these dynamics through interdisciplinary and policy-relevant lenses. We also seek to identify strategies that reduce inequities in access to health-promoting environment, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children, the elderly, and socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. By compiling empirical findings, theoretical insights, and real-world case studies, this Research Topic will provide a foundation for advancing built environment interventions that support active living and well-being.
To gather further insights into the relationship between the built environment and active living, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
o Walkability, bikeability, wheeling and public transportation
o Parks, green space accessibility, and design
o Smart cities and data-driven planning applications
o Environmental equity and social determinants of active living
o Health impact assessment of built environment in promoting physical activity and public health
o Policy innovations and health-oriented urban governance
We encourage original research, systematic reviews, methodological papers, case studies, policy briefs, and interdisciplinary commentaries. Submissions that link findings to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) and SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), are especially encouraged.
Keywords: Built Environment, Active Living, Health Promotion, Physical Activity, Healthy Cities
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
