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Green Spaces Reduce Health Gap
The Independent of Britain
By Steve Connor
November 11th, 2008
Proof at last: Living near parks and woodland boosts health, regardless of social class. Access to green spaces, even simple playing fields, has an independently beneficial impact on health and health-related behavior that counteracts the effects of poverty and inner city deprivation.
The links between serious illnesses and poverty are well established, but this is the first time scientists have systematically shown that the health gap between rich and poor can be halved with the help of green spaces.
When all deaths were analyzed, the gulf in health between the rich and the poor in the greenest areas of Britain was roughly half of that observed in the least green parts of the country, according to the findings published in the medical journal The Lancet.
The difference between those living in the greenest and least green areas was largest when looking at deaths from circulatory diseases.
However, the scientists found that living near green space had little effect for death from lung cancer, which is only weakly linked with exercise; or for death by self-harming.
The authors of the study, Richard Mitchell, of Glasgow University, and Frank Popham, of the University of St. Andrews, believe that the findings are strong enough for planning authorities to consider making green spaces available on grounds of health and well-being.
