From workplaces and schools to our vast expanse of green spaces, readers suggest routes to better health in response to an IPPR report

Your coverage of the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) report on the UK’s health crisis focuses on the big numbers from the report, but overlooks some of the ways we can improve health in the places where we spend the most time – workplaces and schools (Tackling UK ill health is vital to economic growth, says IPPR, 17 September). As a member of the IPPR commission on health and prosperity, I contributed through work by Impact on Urban Health to highlight this opportunity.

Additional health service spending alone doesn’t stand a chance in addressing the growing number of people too sick to work and the stalling of healthy life expectancy. The evidence-based solutions in the report are aimed squarely at where the social, financial and commercial drivers of health converge. For example, businesses can play a pivotal role in fostering a healthier workforce through better working conditions and health initiatives. Similarly, investing in children’s health through schemes such as Sure Start and free school meals will not just improve health outcomes but also lead to greater educational attainment, financial security and the ability to play an active role in the economy.