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BOSTON - A new study reveals that increasing green space in cities can be beneficial to human health and consequently reduce the mortality rate among the elderly.
According to a study published earlier this month in “Frontiers in Public Health”, researchers found that between 34,000-38,000 deaths in people over the age of 65 could be reduced between 2000 and 2019 if “greenery” increased by 0 , 1 unit in U.S. metropolitan areas. .
In addition, approximately 15 to 20 deaths per 10,000 people in the age group could be reduced by increasing vegetation.
Researchers from Harvard and the University of Boston School of Public Health focused their analysis on 35 metropolitan cities, along with people over the age of 65, to help quantify the potential reduction in mortality in the generally vulnerable population.
For the study, the team used publicly available U.S. Census data, mortality data from the VONDER Disease Control Centers system, and greenery data from NASA’s Landsat satellites to conduct a health impact assessment.
Aerial view of Manhattan facing south over Central Park on July 1, 2007 in New York City. AFP PHOTO / Apartment HONDA (Photo credit should read STAN HONDA / AFP via Getty Images)
The research period focused on three different time periods spanning 20 years: 2000, 2010, and 2019, and used the Normalized Vegetation Difference Index (NDVI), a commonly used metric that estimates the amount of green vegetation.
“In total, we estimate that there would be about 34,000 fewer deaths in 2000 and 2010 and 38,000 fewer deaths in 2019 if greenery increased by 0.1 in all census treatises,” the co-authors wrote in their study.
The estimated reduction in deaths to 10,000 for the population aged 65 and over was the largest in 2000, when 20 deaths would be reduced to 10,000.
The study also showed that total green space in metro areas has increased in the last 20 years, by almost 3% between 2000-2010 and more than 11% between 2010-2019.
“Given the potential health benefits of greenery and green spaces, urban planners and policy makers can use the findings of this study to support sustainability and climate action plans,” the co-authors continued.
The team noted that greening may not be realistic due to different climatic conditions, water resources and climate action plans, but explained that city planners can use these findings to examine and develop change.
Nature can improve health
And, this study is based on other research on the health benefits of greens.
Recently, another large cohort study conducted in Hong Kong focused on the indirect link between greenery and respiratory mortality due to air pollution and found that older people living in low-green areas have a higher mortality rate than those living in higher-green areas. .
In addition, in a national cohort study of 4.2 million adults with 7.8 million years of follow-up, the researchers concluded that individuals living in greener areas have lower mortality rates.
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Other studies have also shown evidence that greens can increase physical activity, such as walking, and reduce stress, thus having a protective effect on mortality.
A study from 2019 showed that spending at least two hours a week in nature has a number of positive health benefits.
This story was brought from Los Angeles.