Governing the urban NCD burden: Spatial risks, health inequities, and pathways to healthier cities

Urban Health is an interdisciplinary field exploring how cities shape the health and wellbeing of their inhabitants. As the global urban population rises, Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer and respiratory conditions—pose one of the most pressing challenges to urban resilience and public health. In cities, NCDs often reflect and reinforce social and spatial inequities. Exposure pathways such as air pollution, inadequate housing, poor nutrition, and limited access to green spaces produce unequal health outcomes. Despite increasing global attention from organisations such as WHO, UN-Habitat, and the Healthy Cities Network, progress in addressing NCD-related inequities remains limited. At the same time, reducing NCD burdens provides significant co-benefits for multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), notably SDG 11 on sustainable cities, through cleaner environments, active mobility infrastructure, and climate adaptation measures.This Research Topic aims to examine the spatial dimensions of NCD risks and inequities, and to identify how data, governance, and multi-sectoral innovations can guide effective interventions. It seeks to bring together evidence from across disciplines, geographic contexts, and policy frameworks to illuminate the complex interfaces between environment, health, and equity in urban settings. Central questions include how to map and interpret spatial patterns of NCD burden, how to identify “blind spots” in policy and surveillance, and how to design tools and frameworks that foster cross-sector decision-making. By integrating perspectives from research, practice, and policy, this Topic will help advance actionable knowledge for tackling NCD-related inequities in a changing urban world.To gather further insights into the global governance of urban NCD burdens and spatial health inequalities, we welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:• Spatial patterns of NCD burden, cumulative impacts, and multimorbidity in urban environments• Risk environments including air pollution, mobility, food systems, housing, noise, green spaces, and heat• Inequities in exposure, access, and outcomes across neighborhoods, including environmental justice assessments• Data, surveillance, and geospatial methods for identifying hidden risks and decision-support “blind spots”• Implementation research on collaborative decision making, built environment interventions, transport, land-use, and policy evaluations• Regional and comparative analyses from low- and middle-income countries Topic editors: Heike Köckler, Johannes Flacke, KEIKO NAKAMURA Source: https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/85958/governing-the-urban-ncd-burden-spatial-risks-health-inequities-and-pathways-to-healthier-cities