TheChair Sanitas Health and Environment' of the University's BIOMA Institute becomes a benchmark with the publication of its study in Sustainability magazine.

The scientific journal Sustainabilitypublished by the Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI), has recently published the results of the study carried out by the Biodiversity and Environment Institute BIOMA, within the framework of the Chair Sanitas Health and Environment of the University of Navarra.

Publication in a high-impact international journal validates the relevance and rigor of a work that situates both entities as a references in the generation of scientific knowledge on the relationship between environment and health online with the One Health strategy that drives this Chair.

The study, graduate "Influence of the urban environment on people's health", analyzes five core topic factors of the urban environment - air pollution, extreme heat, noise, lack of green spaces and mobilitypatterns mobilityand their direct impact on the physical and mental health of citizens. Based on more than 130 scientific programs of study over the last two decades, it offers an innovative perspective for the design of public policies and urban environments that protect the population.

"The publication of this work in a prestigious scientific journal such as Sustainability is a recognition of the rigor of the research and the role of the BIOMA Institute and Sanitas as a promoter.is of solutions that link individual health with the urban environment. Sound scientific evidence is essential to influence the creation of policies and urban models that take care of people," he says. Yolanda ErburuChief Sustainability & Corporate Affairs Officer of Sanitas and Bupa Europe and Latin America.

The study shows that the urban environment has a direct influence on health: prolonged exhibition to pollution, extreme heat or constant noise is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular, respiratory and neurological diseases, as well as an increase in hospitalizations and premature deaths, especially among the most vulnerable groups.

On the other hand, the protective effects of green spaces and active mobility are highlighted. Walking, cycling or living near parks improves emotional well-being and reduces the risk of obesity, diabetes and heart problems, contributing to better overall health.

"Redesigning our cities to put health at the center is an urgent paradigm shift. Initiatives such as the superblocks in Barcelona or the 'Plan Vélo' in Paris show that it is possible to create greener, more accessible and resilient urban environments," adds Yolanda Erburu.

The report identifies three priority lines of action to move towards healthier cities:

1. Renaturalize urban environments, creating more parks, trees and accessible green areas.

2. Promote active and sustainable mobility , with pedestrians, bicycles and public transportation as the main axis.

3. Integrate data and technology to better plan urban spaces and involve citizens in their transformation.

"One of the great challenges today is to incorporate these environmental determinants into the clinical history and individual risk evaluation . This perspective would allow us not only to treat, but also to anticipate many chronic diseases associated with the urban environment," explains Jesús Santamaría, director of the Chair Sanitas de Salud y Medioambiente of the BIOMA Institute.