Planetary Health Conference: Golf on the Agenda
The Planetary Health Alliance, along with the University of Edinburgh, the American Geophysical Union, the Wellcome Trust, The Lancet Countdown, The Lancet Planetary Health, the International Development Research Centre, and Future Earth, organised the second Planetary Health Annual Meeting supported by the Rockefeller Foundation through a grant to the Planetary Health Alliance.
In the presence of the Claret Jug in the magnificently refurbished McEwan Hall, Dr Roger Hawkes and Dr Andrew Murray explained how golf can add to the health and wellness of people, is aiming to be more inclusive but reassured the audience that it has also been mindful of the use of water and chemicals in creating an attractive environment.
Dr Hawkes said, “our scoping review has demonstrated longevity benefits which is assumed to be associated with a reduction in traditional risk factors eg blood pressure and cholesterol. However, more needs to be investigated into the benefits of exercising in green space and the role of social interaction as a direct benefit to health and longevity.”
Building on the successful inaugural Planetary Health Meeting in Boston, the goal of the second Planetary Health Annual Meeting in Edinburgh is to bring together new communities around the world to stimulate interdisciplinary and intersectoral collaboration towards ground-breaking solutions to major planetary health challenges.