Behavioral factors in the health status of urban populations

Overwhelming evidence indicates the strong adverse health impact of several personal behaviors, including smoking, immoderate use of alcohol, too little physical exercise, and excessive caloric consumption. These behaviors have arisen on a mass scale in the industrialized nations during the 20th century, thus generating the epidemics of our time. The macrosocial environment--specifically, new (relative) affluence, technological innovations, and commercialization--encourages these behaviors. To advance health, particularly in inner cities of America, a systematic approach to dealing with these major forces on health-related behavior is necessary. Such an approach is briefly outlined.