Utzon Lecture: Cities that save lives

Creating healthier cities and urban spaces to give residents better quality of life and reduce the pressure on our overburdened health system will be the focus of the Utzon Lecture at the University of New South Wales on Wednesday, October 13.

Associate Professor Susan Thompson and Visiting Professor Anthony Capon of the UNSW Faculty of Built Environment will discuss the role urban spaces now have as a fundamental determinant of health.

"Australia faces epidemics of obesity, chronic diseases and depression, with the cost of the obesity epidemic alone estimated at more than $20 billion a year," Associate Professor Thompson said.

"As 90 percent of Australians now live in cities, it is critical that urban environments are planned, developed and managed to support health."

What: Utzon Lecture - Healthy Built Environments = Healthy CitiesWhen: 7pm, Wednesday, October 13, 2010 (Drinks from 6pm)Where: Lecture Theatre G001, Red Centre Building, UNSW Kensington campus

Media contact:Associate Professor Susan Thompson | 02 9385 4395 | s.thompson@unsw.edu.au

Peter Trute, UNSW Media Office | 02 9385 1933 | 0410 271 826 | p.trute@unsw.edu.au