How can active mobility and the urban environment improve cancer prevention and patients' quality of life?

Catalonia has hosted the kick off meeting of DynamiCity, a new European project that will work over the next three years to promote active mobility, including walking, cycling and other forms of micromobility, through digital tools, smart infrastructure and urban planning. Its objective is to evaluate how active mobility and the urban environment can contribute to improving the physical and emotional health and quality of life of people living with cancer.

The consortium brings together 36 partners from 12 European countries, including the TIC Salut i Social Foundation as an associated partner. The Foundation will contribute the perspective of the Catalan Health System while supporting the long term institutional sustainability of the digital health solutions developed throughout the project. Catalonia has a particularly strong presence in the initiative, which is coordinated by the technology centre Eurecat and also includes the Bellvitge Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBELL), the Catalan Institute of Oncology (ICO), L’Hospitalet City Council and the Catalan companies Factual and Bax Innovation.

Funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, the initiative aims to promote healthier lifestyles, contribute to cancer prevention, and improve both the quality of life and survival of people living with cancer, while supporting the development of more sustainable and climate neutral cities.

Active mobility to promote health and wellbeing

DynamiCity is based on the idea that urban mobility can play a key role in public health. Rather than focusing solely on analysing the impact of urban transport on health, the project also seeks to drive practical changes in the way urban mobility is planned and used.

To achieve this, the project will encourage walking, cycling and the use of micromobility as safer, more accessible and attractive travel options, supported by digital tools that will help public authorities analyse each city’s needs, engage citizens and design more effective interventions.

DynamiCity will also promote people centred interventions to improve health literacy related to active mobility and encourage different population groups to incorporate walking and cycling into their daily routines, strengthening both physical and mental health.

Ambitious objectives for more sustainable cities

The project has set ambitious targets, including reducing greenhouse gas emissions by more than 15% and increasing walking and cycling journeys by more than 30% across six demonstration cities and six follower cities.

Through recommendations and practical measures covering urban design, digital tools and public policies, DynamiCity aims to break down the traditional barriers between the health and transport sectors and support new European strategies that place active mobility at the heart of urban planning and public health policies.

The project’s impact will be measured using indicators related to increased active mobility, reduced environmental exposure, and health outcomes associated with cancer prevention and survival.

With this interdisciplinary approach, DynamiCity aims to become a European reference for integrating health, mobility and urban planning to address some of the key social, environmental and health challenges facing the cities of the future.

Source and further information: Eurecat