Parks, Green Spaces Protect Your Health
Oct. 14, 2009 — There is more evidence that living near parks, woods, or other green spaces may improve your mental and physical health.
Close proximity to green spaces was associated with less depression, anxiety, and other health problems in a newly published study. The relationship was strongest for children and people with low incomes.
The research is not the first to suggest that green spaces help keep people healthy, but it is the first to assess their impact on specific health conditions.
Investigators in the Netherlands examined patient health records from medical practices throughout the country. Using postal codes, they were also able to determine the percentage of green space existing within about 2 miles of each patient’s home.
"The strongest associations we saw between green space and health occurred within a 1 kilometer [0.6 mile] radius of the home," study researcher Jolanda Maas, PhD, of Amsterdam’s VU University tells WebMD. …