Business has long depended on emotional attachment as strategy to create switching costs. (E.g., Cadillac). Seems utterly obvious that despite their ethical commitments, the intentional engineering of AIs to generate human emotional attachment will soon be mainstream.

For our latest newsletter, we look at the current challenges facing public transit, how it matters for health, and ways to think about the future, ft perspectives from @humantransit.bsky.social, @davidzipper.bsky.social & @henriettalmoore.bsky.social -- and more mailchi.mp/bd7c1161a908...

also popular in our newsletter last week was this piece in the @nytimes.com on former FDA commissioner @davidakesslermd.bsky.social's effort to rein in ultraprocessed foods: www.nytimes.com/2025/08/07/u...

Another popular story from our newsletter last week was this piece, from @meeri.bsky.social on the curious case of low allergies among the Amish: www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

The most popular story in our newsletter last week was this piece, by Jordan Shlain, on how the key to longevity might actually be the friends in your life: medium.com/tincture/soc...

For our most recent newsletter, we were inspired by @tadfriend.bsky.social's @newyorker.com profile of the longevity movement & by John Kay’s writings on “obiquity.” We ask what it would take to achieve health by not focusing on it so much. mailchi.mp/cc9491e30ea8...

Good overview of the many factors — personal, environmental and structural — that can affect sleep: www.vox.com/even-better/...

Good piece on the complexities of what’s changing in childhood. And data from actual kids. www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archiv...

Also very popular in our newsletter this weekend was this oldie but goodie, also from the Berkeley Media Studies Group, on how to make the case for addressing environmental drivers of health: www.bmsg.org/resources/pu...

The most popular story from our newsletter this weekend was this piece, from the Berkeley Media Studies Group, on the tension between American ideals of individualism and the essential roles of public health: medium.com/narrative-st...

Be sure to check out this essay, from co-founder @thgoetz.bsky.social, on individualism, the illusion of freedom of choice and how attaining health individually relies on working on our collective health, in our latest newsletter: mailchi.mp/d36856ac483d...

For our latest newsletter, we look at the iconic American phrase "freedom of choice" and explore its implications for our health. Plus, a new report from @deloitteinsights.bsky.social on food as medicine, a new design envisions entertainment that's actually healthy & more mailchi.mp/d36856ac483d...

Sen. Cassidy vs. Dr. Cassidy, continued …

I'm excited to head to London this week to hear about innovation projects focused on UN SDG 4: Quality Education at the Design for Good Annual Event 2025. You can see the livestream on Thursday here: bit.ly/DfG_Celebrat...

Protected bike lane mileage installed was significantly associated with bike commuter increases that were 52.5% stronger than standard bicycle lane mileage and 281.2% stronger than shared-lane marking mileage. www.nature.com/articles/s44...

Great to see greater recognition of the environments (in this case food) that drive chronic illness. But it's not just the food products that are responsible -- there's also entertainment, housing, transportation ... www.buildingh.org/index/2024

We're always grateful for people who take time to contribute to our mission in large ways and small. This Friday, thanks go out to @joannecheung.com, @kimkater.bsky.social, @suewoods.bsky.social, @susannahrfox.bsky.social and many more: www.linkedin.com/feed/update/...

The most popular piece in our newsletter last week was co-founder @stephenjdowns.bsky.social's remarks -- covering lessons from our first five years -- at the 2025 annual meeting of the @sbm.org: medium.com/building-h/w...

Superb article. That constant data collection w/ regular data analysis is considered the future of health highlights 2 major failures: 1) not providing adequate health care for all; and 2) creating a modern world where it's so hard to stay healthy. The real challenge is to make this stuff rare.

The most popular story from our newsletter was this NYT opinion piece from @erictopol.bsky.social on the real (and very old school) keys to longevity, which can be supplemented by advances in measurement: www.nytimes.com/2025/04/21/o...

We're out with our latest newsletter, ft. a collection of stories on the importance of spending time outdoors, in nature or in cities. Plus: the sneaky way that junk food hacks our brains; @erictopol.bsky.social on the boring but effective secrets to longevity & more mailchi.mp/bb408b3cec73...

In a new follow-up report, @buildingh.bsky.social researchers used the Index as a tool to evaluate socially responsible investment (SRI) portfolios, with a focus on the health impacts of a company’s products.

Great write up on our recent research from @equitiesdotcom.bsky.social: www.equities.com/impact-inves...

The most popular story from our newsletter last week was this opinion piece by @drandrealove.bsky.social in @statnews.com on the damage being done by the wellness industry: www.statnews.com/2025/04/10/r...

Hear how @buildingh.bsky.social calculates health scores for consumer products and services across entertainment, food, housing, and transportation, and makes recommendations to companies about how to make their products healthier: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zD_...

I had great conversation about our work on the Building H Index and how consumer products and services affect our health with @drjoshs.bsky.social of @johnshopkinssph.bsky.social for their Public Health On Call podcast. It's a quick listen: johnshopkinssph.libsyn.com/881-the-buil...

Last day to vote! If this issue resonates with you, please take a minute and vote for the session. Thanks to all who’ve already done so.

I’m really excited about this work we released today. We have so many products and services that make it harder for people to be healthy — and we need ways to create accountability for these impacts. The report reveals a big opportunity to fold new measures of health impact into ESG investing.

I’m really excited about this work we released today. We have so many products and services that make it harder for people to be healthy — and we need ways to create accountability for these impacts. The report reveals a big opportunity to fold new measures of health impact into ESG investing.

What a line: “Trading universal health insurance for a shot at one day renovating your own big, beautiful American kitchen with all the bells and whistles isn’t a deal that everyone born into the US economic system is glad their forebears made, but you can plausibly call it a trade.”

@apha.org A4: PHI’s @buildingh.bsky.social aims to reverse the course of chronic disease in the U.S., rooted in the belief that the infrastructure of our daily life—our food, transportation, housing, and entertainment—can be reimagined with health and well-being as explicit design goals. #NPHWChat

A4: The 2024 Building H Index (@buildingh.bsky.social) is a groundbreaking report that rates and ranks 76 popular consumer products, from Uber to Netflix, and from Trek to Ford Motor Company, based on how they affect—for better or worse—the health of customers and users: #NPHWChat

Products and services of everyday life shape how we eat, move, sleep, socialize & more behaviors that affect our health. How can we incentivize companies to build products with positive health impacts? Please vote for our session at @socapglobal.bsky.social to help make this happen: bit.ly/41ZR97W

Please vote for our #SOCAPOpen session! Well be discussing how the ‘H” of health fits into ESG and socially responsible investing. Shouldn’t companies whose products promote health be prioritized over companies whose don’t? Vote here: bit.ly/41ZR97W

Products and services of everyday life shape how we eat, move, sleep, socialize & more behaviors that affect our health. How can we incentivize companies to build products with positive health impacts? Please vote for our session at @socapglobal.bsky.social to help make this happen: bit.ly/41ZR97W

We've run the numbers, done the analysis and there's a clear opportunity to make the health impacts of products and services really matter. We're eager to bring this discussion to @socapglobal.bsky.social. Anyone can support this effort by voting: bit.ly/41ZR97W #SOCAPOpen

Smart article and thread — addressing externalities is crucial. And there are plenty of externalities in health — the impact of car-centric culture on physical activity in addition to pollution and crashes.

Please vote for our #SOCAPOpen session! Well be discussing how the ‘H” of health fits into ESG and socially responsible investing. Shouldn’t companies whose products promote health be prioritized over companies whose don’t? Vote here: bit.ly/41ZR97W

We’ve spent decades applying technology in the service of comfort & convenience and lawn mowing is a great example: push mowers -> power mowers -> ride-on mowers -> roomba mowers that let you watch TV while u mow

From co-founder @stephenjdowns.bsky.social’s keynote at #SBM2025 (photo credit to Shariwa Oke)

Brad Hesse giving a beautiful walk through the history of health communication and how behavioral medicine has co-evolved with it at #SBM2025

“We’re trying to help people save their own lives from a world that’s trying to kill them” — from Ellen Beckjord’s powerful keynote at #SBM2025

from Margaret Chesney’s keynote at #SBM2025 — highlights the peculiar nature of health care as a key driver of our economy

Another popular article from our newsletter last week -- and the inspiration for our commentary -- was @kevinroose.com 's piece on getting ready for AGI: www.nytimes.com/2025/03/14/t...

"We need to put our phones down, stop arguing about politics, go out to eat with friends, and, for goodness’ sake, if you find a wallet, be sure to return it to its owner." Or, as @nickisnpdx.bsky.social might say, more hugs. @stephenjdowns.bsky.social medium.com/@kimbellard/...

Excited to be heading to SF for #SBM2025. It’s been great to look back over the past five years of our work at @buildingh.bsky.social to prepare for my keynote on Friday…

The most popular story from our newsletter last week was Dalton Conley's piece on the new science of sociogenomics: how our genes are shaped by -- and shape -- our environments. www.nytimes.com/2025/03/13/o...

We’re already seeing ways in which powerful AI is exploited to make it harder for people to be healthy. How do we prepare for the impact of especially persuasive AI?

The Medicaid Innovation Collaborative announced that applications are open for its 2025 cohort. It's a great opportunity to work with a wonderful team on issues like food, housing & transportation insecurity: www.acumenamerica.org/medicaid/our...