David Rojas‐Rueda
Biographic Data
| ID | 6570258 |
|---|---|
| NAME | David Rojas‐Rueda |
| GIVEN NAMES | David |
| FAMILY NAME | Rojas‐Rueda |
| SIGNATURE | RUEDA D R |
| AFFILIATIONS | Colorado State University |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-5854-2484 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 30 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 17 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 30 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2011 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Potential impact of increasing physical activity on NCD mortality in the EU: Pathways to SDG 3.4.1 by 2030
BACKGROUND: Physical inactivity affects 36.2% of adults in the European Union (EU), contributing substantially to the burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The WHO's Global Action Plan on Physical Activity 2018-2030 targets a 15% relative reduction in physical inactivity by 2030, supporting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3.4.1 to achieve over 30% reduction in premature NCD mortality. This study estimates the number of averted deaths, pr…
VR Versus IRL Walking: Equivalencies and Discrepancies Between Walking Through a Downtown District in Virtual Reality and in Real Life
Background: Virtual reality (VR) is a potential solution to the lack of causal evidence regarding how changing the physical environment can increase walking. For VR to be employed in walkability research, the degree to which walking in VR mimics the real world (RW) must be quantified. Methods: In a preregistered study, 39 participants walked in a historic RW district and in a VR replica. In both environments, participants completed “errands” by e…
Infectious Disease: A Critical Dimension of Environmental Justice Mapping Tools
Environmental justice mapping tools are an important resource for helping identify communities at risk for environmental injustice and helping to guide decision making for policymakers, researchers, and communities. They typically include indicators related to environmental risks (e.g., air quality), socioeconomic factors (e.g., demographic data), and physical health (e.g., disease morbidity and mortality). Recent reviews have found that only two…
A health impact assessment of progress towards urban nature targets in the 96 C40 cities
Wellcome Trust, NASA, and The George Washington University
The 2024 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: Facing record-breaking threats from delayed action
Public Health Impacts of Ambient Particulate Matter Pollution in Libya from 1990 to 2019: An Analysis of the 2019 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study
Air pollution is recognized as a critical global health risk, yet there has been no comprehensive assessment of its impact on public health in Libya until now. This study evaluates the burden of disease associated with ambient particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) in Libya, drawing on data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. By integrating satellite-based estimates, chemical transport models, and ground-level measurements, PM 2.5 exposure and it…
Advancing Health Equity through 15-min Cities and Chrono-urbanism
Healthy by Nature: Policy Practices Aimed at Maximizing the Human Behavioral Health Benefits of Nature Contact
Research suggests that spending time in nature is associated with numerous human behavioral health benefits, including improved executive functioning abilities, enhanced recovery from stressful situations, better mental health, and better educational outcomes. Greener neighborhoods also tend to have positive population-level health outcomes. Although promising, much of this research has focused primarily on selective populations and fails to acco…
Green space exposure and type 2 diabetes mellitus incidence: A systematic review
Greenspace and mortality in the U.K. Biobank: Longitudinal cohort analysis of socio-economic, environmental, and biomarker pathways
Exposure to natural greenspace benefits health through direct and indirect pathways: increasing physical activity, improving mental health, relieving social isolation, reducing exposure to extreme temperature, noise, and air pollution. Understanding the etiologic pathway of greenspace and health is needed. Here, we used a large cohort follow-up data from the U.K. Biobank to quantify the magnitude of behavioural factors, psychological factors, bio…
The climate change mitigation effects of daily active travel in cities
Active travel (walking or cycling for transport) is considered the most sustainable form of personal transport. Yet its net effects on mobility-related CO2 emissions are complex and under-researched. Here we collected travel activity data in seven European cities and derived life cycle CO2 emissions across modes and purposes. Daily mobility-related life cycle CO2 emissions were 3.2 kgCO2 per person, with car travel contributing 70% and cycling 1%…
Premature mortality due to air pollution in European cities: A health impact assessment
Background Ambient air pollution is a major environmental cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Cities are generally hotspots for air pollution and disease. However, the exact extent of the health effects of air pollution at the city level is still largely unknown. We aimed to estimate the proportion of annual preventable deaths due to air pollution in almost 1000 cities in Europe. Methods We did a quantitative health impact assessment for …
Green space and mortality in European cities: A health impact assessment study
BACKGROUND: Natural outdoor environments including green spaces play an important role in preserving population health and wellbeing in cities, but the number of deaths that could be prevented by increasing green space in European cities is not known. We aimed to estimate the number of natural-cause deaths among adult residents that could be prevented in cities in 31 European countries, if the WHO recommendation for universal access to green spac…
Colorado Burden of Disease, Injuries and Risk Factors, 1990–2019: A Sub-Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study
(1) Background: Health disparities across the United States (U.S.) are increasing. Large variations in risk factors and health outcomes have been described among states from the U.S. (2) AIM. This study aims to describe health trends in morbidity, mortality, and risk factors from 1990 to 2019 in the State of Colorado. (3) Methods: We describe the measures of health loss for 286 causes of death, 369 diseases and injuries, and 87 risk factors for t…
Health Impacts of Urban Bicycling in Mexico
Background: Bicycling has been associated with health benefits. Local and national authorities have been promoting bicycling as a tool to improve public health and the environment. Mexico is one of the largest Latin American countries, with high levels of sedentarism and non-communicable diseases. No previous studies have estimated the health impacts of Mexico's national bicycling scenarios. Aim: Quantify the health impacts of Mexico urban bicycl…
Social Inclusion and Physical Activity in Ciclovía Recreativa Programs in Latin America
Ciclovía Recreativa is a program in which streets are closed off to automobiles so that people have a safe and inclusive space for recreation and for being physically active. The study aims were: (1) to compare participant's spatial trajectories in four Ciclovía Recreativa programs in Latin America (Bogotá, Mexico City, Santiago de Cali, and Santiago de Chile) according to socioeconomic characteristics and urban segregation of these cities; and (…
Assessing the Policy Environment for Active Mobility in Cities—Development and Feasibility of the Pasta Cycling and Walking Policy Environment Score
The importance of setting a policy focus on promoting cycling and walking as sustainable and healthy modes of transport is increasingly recognized. However, to date a science-driven scoring system to assess the policy environment for cycling and walking is lacking. In this study, spreadsheet-based scoring systems for cycling and walking were developed, including six dimensions (cycling/walking culture, social acceptance, perception of traffic saf…
The climate change mitigation impacts of active travel: Evidence from a longitudinal panel study in seven European cities
Changing the urban design of cities for health: The superblock model
BACKGROUND: Car-dependent city planning has resulted in high levels of environmental pollution, sedentary lifestyles and increased vulnerability to the effects of climate change. The Barcelona Superblock model is an innovative urban and transport planning strategy that aims to reclaim public space for people, reduce motorized transport, promote sustainable mobility and active lifestyles, provide urban greening and mitigate effects of climate chan…
Study Protocol for the Evaluation of the Health Effects of Superblocks in Barcelona: The “Salut Als Carrers” (Health in the Streets) Project
Superblocks are currently being introduced in Barcelona to respond to the city's scarcity of green spaces and high levels of air pollution, traffic injuries, and sedentariness. The aim is to calm the streets by reducing the number of square meters dedicated to private vehicles and to reclaim part of this public space for people. Salut als Carrers (Health in the Streets) is a project to evaluate the potential environmental and health effects of th…
Integrated Impact Assessment of Active Travel: Expanding the Scope of the Health Economic Assessment Tool (Heat) for Walking and Cycling
The World Health Organization's Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT) for walking and cycling is a user-friendly web-based tool to assess the health impacts of active travel. HEAT, developed over 10 years ago, has been used by researchers, planners and policymakers alike in appraisals of walking and cycling policies at both national and more local scales. HEAT has undergone regular upgrades adopting the latest scientific evidence. This article p…
Framework for Participatory Quantitative Health Impact Assessment in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
The framework has several implications for research and practice. It underlines the importance of applying participatory approaches critically while providing a blueprint for methods to engage local stakeholders. Participatory approaches in quantitative HIAs are complex and demand a nuanced understanding of the context. Therefore, the political and cultural contexts in which HIA is conducted will define how the framework is applied. Finally, the …
Urban health: An example of a “health in all policies” approach in the context of SDGs implementation
BACKGROUND: Cities are an important driving force to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the New Urban Agenda. The SDGs provide an operational framework to consider urbanization globally, while providing local mechanisms for action and careful attention to closing the gaps in the distribution of health gains. While health and well-being are explicitly addressed in SDG 3, health is also present as a pre condition of SDG 11, that…
Environmental Burden of Childhood Disease in Europe
Background : Environmental factors determine children's health. Quantifying the health impacts related to environmental hazards for children is essential to prioritize interventions to improve health in Europe. Objective : This study aimed to assess the burden of childhood disease due to environmental risks across the European Union. Methods : We conducted an environmental burden of childhood disease assessment in the 28 countries of the EU (EU28…
Health Benefits of Physical Activity Related to an Urban Riverside Regeneration
The promotion of physical activity through better urban design is one pathway by which health and well-being improvements can be achieved. This study aimed to quantify health and health-related economic impacts associated with physical activity in an urban riverside park regeneration project in Barcelona, Spain. We used data from Barcelona local authorities and meta-analysis assessing physical activity and health outcomes to develop and apply the…
The health risks and benefits of cycling in urban environments compared with car use: Health impact assessment study
Introduction: Obesity is a major risk factor for developing sleep apnea syndrome. CPAP is its treatment. Moreover, the use of CPAP may decrease perioperative complications in patients who have to undergo bariatric surgery. - Objective: To study the prevalence of OSAS in morbidly obese subjects. - Methods: We studied all patients who were referred to our unit of sleep disorders with an obesity diagnosis, using the following inclusion criteria: BMI…
Physical Activity through Sustainable Transport Approaches (Pasta): Protocol for a multi-centre, longitudinal study
The PASTA study collects a wealth of subjective and objective data on active mobility and physical activity. This will allow the investigation of numerous correlates of active mobility and physical activity using a data set that advances previous efforts in its richness, geographical coverage and comprehensiveness. Results will inform new health impact assessment models and support efforts to promote and facilitate active mobility in cities
The global burden of injury: Incidence, mortality, disability-adjusted life years and time trends from the Global Burden of Disease study 2013
BACKGROUND: The Global Burden of Diseases (GBD), Injuries, and Risk Factors study used the disability-adjusted life year (DALY) to quantify the burden of diseases, injuries, and risk factors. This paper provides an overview of injury estimates from the 2013 update of GBD, with detailed information on incidence, mortality, DALYs and rates of change from 1990 to 2013 for 26 causes of injury, globally, by region and by country. METHODS: Injury morta…
Can air pollution negate the health benefits of cycling and walking?
Active travel (cycling, walking) is beneficial for the health due to increased physical activity (PA). However, active travel may increase the intake of air pollution, leading to negative health consequences. We examined the risk-benefit balance between active travel related PA and exposure to air pollution across a range of air pollution and PA scenarios. The health effects of active travel and air pollution were estimated through changes in all…
Global Burden of Hypertension and Systolic Blood Pressure of at Least 110 to 115 mm Hg, 1990-2015
Importance: Elevated systolic blood (SBP) pressure is a leading global health risk. Quantifying the levels of SBP is important to guide prevention policies and interventions. Objective: To estimate the association between SBP of at least 110 to 115 mm Hg and SBP of 140 mm Hg or higher and the burden of different causes of death and disability by age and sex for 195 countries and territories, 1990-2015. Design: A comparative risk assessment of hea…
Urban health: An example of a “health in all policies” approach in the context of SDGs implementation
BACKGROUND: Cities are an important driving force to implement the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the New Urban Agenda. The SDGs provide an operational framework to consider urbanization globally, while providing local mechanisms for action and careful attention to closing the gaps in the distribution of health gains. While health and well-being are explicitly addressed in SDG 3, health is also present as a pre condition of SDG 11, that…
Environmental Burden of Childhood Disease in Europe
Background : Environmental factors determine children's health. Quantifying the health impacts related to environmental hazards for children is essential to prioritize interventions to improve health in Europe. Objective : This study aimed to assess the burden of childhood disease due to environmental risks across the European Union. Methods : We conducted an environmental burden of childhood disease assessment in the 28 countries of the EU (EU28…
Health Benefits of Physical Activity Related to an Urban Riverside Regeneration
The promotion of physical activity through better urban design is one pathway by which health and well-being improvements can be achieved. This study aimed to quantify health and health-related economic impacts associated with physical activity in an urban riverside park regeneration project in Barcelona, Spain. We used data from Barcelona local authorities and meta-analysis assessing physical activity and health outcomes to develop and apply the…
Changing the urban design of cities for health: The superblock model
BACKGROUND: Car-dependent city planning has resulted in high levels of environmental pollution, sedentary lifestyles and increased vulnerability to the effects of climate change. The Barcelona Superblock model is an innovative urban and transport planning strategy that aims to reclaim public space for people, reduce motorized transport, promote sustainable mobility and active lifestyles, provide urban greening and mitigate effects of climate chan…
Study Protocol for the Evaluation of the Health Effects of Superblocks in Barcelona: The “Salut Als Carrers” (Health in the Streets) Project
Superblocks are currently being introduced in Barcelona to respond to the city's scarcity of green spaces and high levels of air pollution, traffic injuries, and sedentariness. The aim is to calm the streets by reducing the number of square meters dedicated to private vehicles and to reclaim part of this public space for people. Salut als Carrers (Health in the Streets) is a project to evaluate the potential environmental and health effects of th…
Integrated Impact Assessment of Active Travel: Expanding the Scope of the Health Economic Assessment Tool (Heat) for Walking and Cycling
The World Health Organization's Health Economic Assessment Tool (HEAT) for walking and cycling is a user-friendly web-based tool to assess the health impacts of active travel. HEAT, developed over 10 years ago, has been used by researchers, planners and policymakers alike in appraisals of walking and cycling policies at both national and more local scales. HEAT has undergone regular upgrades adopting the latest scientific evidence. This article p…
Framework for Participatory Quantitative Health Impact Assessment in Low- and Middle-Income Countries
The framework has several implications for research and practice. It underlines the importance of applying participatory approaches critically while providing a blueprint for methods to engage local stakeholders. Participatory approaches in quantitative HIAs are complex and demand a nuanced understanding of the context. Therefore, the political and cultural contexts in which HIA is conducted will define how the framework is applied. Finally, the …
The climate change mitigation effects of daily active travel in cities
Active travel (walking or cycling for transport) is considered the most sustainable form of personal transport. Yet its net effects on mobility-related CO2 emissions are complex and under-researched. Here we collected travel activity data in seven European cities and derived life cycle CO2 emissions across modes and purposes. Daily mobility-related life cycle CO2 emissions were 3.2 kgCO2 per person, with car travel contributing 70% and cycling 1%…
Premature mortality due to air pollution in European cities: A health impact assessment
Background Ambient air pollution is a major environmental cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Cities are generally hotspots for air pollution and disease. However, the exact extent of the health effects of air pollution at the city level is still largely unknown. We aimed to estimate the proportion of annual preventable deaths due to air pollution in almost 1000 cities in Europe. Methods We did a quantitative health impact assessment for …
Green space and mortality in European cities: A health impact assessment study
BACKGROUND: Natural outdoor environments including green spaces play an important role in preserving population health and wellbeing in cities, but the number of deaths that could be prevented by increasing green space in European cities is not known. We aimed to estimate the number of natural-cause deaths among adult residents that could be prevented in cities in 31 European countries, if the WHO recommendation for universal access to green spac…
Colorado Burden of Disease, Injuries and Risk Factors, 1990–2019: A Sub-Analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study
(1) Background: Health disparities across the United States (U.S.) are increasing. Large variations in risk factors and health outcomes have been described among states from the U.S. (2) AIM. This study aims to describe health trends in morbidity, mortality, and risk factors from 1990 to 2019 in the State of Colorado. (3) Methods: We describe the measures of health loss for 286 causes of death, 369 diseases and injuries, and 87 risk factors for t…
Health Impacts of Urban Bicycling in Mexico
Background: Bicycling has been associated with health benefits. Local and national authorities have been promoting bicycling as a tool to improve public health and the environment. Mexico is one of the largest Latin American countries, with high levels of sedentarism and non-communicable diseases. No previous studies have estimated the health impacts of Mexico's national bicycling scenarios. Aim: Quantify the health impacts of Mexico urban bicycl…
Social Inclusion and Physical Activity in Ciclovía Recreativa Programs in Latin America
Ciclovía Recreativa is a program in which streets are closed off to automobiles so that people have a safe and inclusive space for recreation and for being physically active. The study aims were: (1) to compare participant's spatial trajectories in four Ciclovía Recreativa programs in Latin America (Bogotá, Mexico City, Santiago de Cali, and Santiago de Chile) according to socioeconomic characteristics and urban segregation of these cities; and (…
Assessing the Policy Environment for Active Mobility in Cities—Development and Feasibility of the Pasta Cycling and Walking Policy Environment Score
The importance of setting a policy focus on promoting cycling and walking as sustainable and healthy modes of transport is increasingly recognized. However, to date a science-driven scoring system to assess the policy environment for cycling and walking is lacking. In this study, spreadsheet-based scoring systems for cycling and walking were developed, including six dimensions (cycling/walking culture, social acceptance, perception of traffic saf…
The climate change mitigation impacts of active travel: Evidence from a longitudinal panel study in seven European cities
Greenspace and mortality in the U.K. Biobank: Longitudinal cohort analysis of socio-economic, environmental, and biomarker pathways
Exposure to natural greenspace benefits health through direct and indirect pathways: increasing physical activity, improving mental health, relieving social isolation, reducing exposure to extreme temperature, noise, and air pollution. Understanding the etiologic pathway of greenspace and health is needed. Here, we used a large cohort follow-up data from the U.K. Biobank to quantify the magnitude of behavioural factors, psychological factors, bio…
Healthy by Nature: Policy Practices Aimed at Maximizing the Human Behavioral Health Benefits of Nature Contact
Research suggests that spending time in nature is associated with numerous human behavioral health benefits, including improved executive functioning abilities, enhanced recovery from stressful situations, better mental health, and better educational outcomes. Greener neighborhoods also tend to have positive population-level health outcomes. Although promising, much of this research has focused primarily on selective populations and fails to acco…
Green space exposure and type 2 diabetes mellitus incidence: A systematic review
The 2024 report of the Lancet Countdown on health and climate change: Facing record-breaking threats from delayed action
Public Health Impacts of Ambient Particulate Matter Pollution in Libya from 1990 to 2019: An Analysis of the 2019 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study
Air pollution is recognized as a critical global health risk, yet there has been no comprehensive assessment of its impact on public health in Libya until now. This study evaluates the burden of disease associated with ambient particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) in Libya, drawing on data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019. By integrating satellite-based estimates, chemical transport models, and ground-level measurements, PM 2.5 exposure and it…
Medicine (23 works) · Environmental health (18 works) · Geography (17 works) · Urban Transport and Accessibility (14 works) · Population (13 works) · Public health (11 works) · Air Quality and Health Impacts (8 works) · Health impact assessment (8 works) · Demography (7 works) · Engineering (7 works)