This short comment by Rao et al. addresses the importance of the built environment as another key factor affecting health. The points raised in this short paper are particularly relevant to the current debate regarding the limitations of the classical clinical model in coping with the epidemics of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, the metabolic syndrome, and abdominal obesity. Given that these highly prevalent metabolic diseases have reached epidemic status, we need to go beyond the clinical model and reshape our working and living environments in order to promote and facilitate behaviours compatible with metabolic and cardiovascular health.
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