Living near a green space: beneficial for health and longevity
November 12, 2008 – Living near a park, woodland or any green space of more than 10 square meters would reduce health inequalities between the most disadvantaged and the better-off in society. This is the finding made by British researchers in a study published in the prestigious medical journal Lancet1.
In general, low-income people who live in disadvantaged areas are more at risk of having health problems and of living shorter lives than the rest of the population. However, living near a green space would reduce the risk of dying from an illness, by reducing stress and promoting physical activity.
According to the results of the study, in the “greenest” localities, the difference between the death rate of the “rich” and “poor” was half as high as in the localities where there were fewer green spaces.
The difference was particularly less pronounced in the case of death from cardiovascular disease. On the other hand, in the cases of death from lung cancer or from self-harm (suicide), the difference between the mortality rates of the better-off and the most disadvantaged was the same, whether or not they lived near a green space. .
The study carried out by researchers at two Scottish universities looked at the population of England before retirement age – 40 people. The researchers classified the population into five income levels and four exposure categories to green space of 813 square meters or more. They then looked at the records of more than 236 deaths between 10 and 366.
According to the researchers, the physical environment has an important role to play in combating health inequalities, as much as awareness campaigns on healthy lifestyles.
Emmanuelle Bergeron – PasseportSanté.net
1. Mitchell R, Popham F. Effect of exposure to natural environment on health inequalities: an observational population study, Lancet. 2008 Nov 8; 372 (9650): 1655-60.