Search

In this chapter, first, we will briefly discuss worldwide urbanisation processes with major dimensions of public health challenges in megacities and urban areas. Second, we present some empirical findings from public health surveys conducted in the megacity of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Third, a conceptual framework is proposed based on our research on megacities within the framework of the German Research Foundation’s priority programme “Megacities – Megachallenge: Informal Dynamics of Global Change” and forth, a description of the burden of disease – classified as group I, II and III diseases – in urban areas including their determinants are presented. Lastly, strategies to improve the quality of life in megacities and urban areas are discussed.

In accordance with nutritional improvement, the environmental sanitation, and advance in medical technology after World War II, Japan has achieved almost the longest lifespan in the world. This change has two implications. Firstly, this has led to a drastic increase in elderly population in Japan. Secondly, a part of Japanese has faced the problem of over-nutrition due to e.g. an inappropriately increased intake of total energy and total fat, a more sedentary lifestyle or insufficient physical activity in association with use of various mechanic devices or transportation including a car in their life. Their lifestyles are not only associated with an increased risk of lifestyle-related morbidity, but also with increased medical expenditure. Some studies reported higher prevalences of obesity, glucose intolerance (Kawamori 2002), hypertension (Ueshima et al. 2000), and/or hyperlipidemia (Koba and Sasaki 2006) in recent years as compared to past. These lifestyles factors and morbidity are suggested as possible risk factors for a higher mortality related to cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer.

Migration has influence on health in various aspects. It affects public health in home and host countries and can cause severe health consequences for the migrants. Within this paper, general migration patterns and processes will be introduced and the various associations to health will be discussed. We describe the situation of internal migration in China and emphasise the importance of the Chinese household registration (hukou) system. Using the example of first results of a public health field study, we describe different urban life-world dimensions and their influences on health of working migrants in the megacity of Guangzhou, South China.