ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on a methodological approach to assess the health impacts
of the places where children spend most of their time when not at home: childcare
centres, schools, parks, residential neighbourhoods, and community institutions
such as zoos, museums and botanical gardens – where families spend quality
time away from the pressures of everyday life. These commonplace environ-
ments and mission-driven institutions are potential supporters of preventive
health and disease prevention objectives to get children outdoors in contact with
nature and engaged in physical activity. They fall within the scope of healthy
community design, where this chapter is situated at the intersection with the
built environment.
