Children who are more exposed to green spaces have better levels of biological markers (indicators that help predict the risk of an individual developing disease in the future) than those who have less contact with these spaces. The conclusion is advanced by a study of the Instituto de Saúde Pública da Universidade do Porto (ISPUP), published in the journal Environmental International.
Exposure to green spaces is known to have a positive impact on population health. Among the many benefits are more physical exercise, strengthening social relationships, better mental health and quality of life, lower levels of stress and anxiety and better immune function.
However, there is still little research on the impact of this exposure on biological markers.
According to Ana Isabel Ribeiro, first author of the article, coordinated by Henrique Barros, “it is important to look at the biological markers, because they precede many chronic and fatal pathologies and, therefore, help us to predict the risk of developing a disease in the future. This issue is especially relevant in children because the vast majority do not yet have symptoms or are diagnosed with disease. Deregulation in a given biological marker is, therefore, a first signal”.
The researchers analyzed the impact of exposure to green spaces on over 3000 7-year-old children enrolled in the Generation XXI cohort, which since 2005 has followed about 8600 participants who were born in public maternity hospitals in the Porto Metropolitan Area.
The exposure of these children to green spaces surrounding their area of residence and school was measured, and the effect of this exposure on eight biomarkers was analyzed – systolic and diastolic blood pressure (cardiovascular health indicators), waist-hip ratio, glycated hemoglobin, HDL and total cholesterol (metabolic health indicators), and C-reactive protein (inflammatory indicator).
“In general, we concluded that children with lower exposure to green areas had worse levels in the biomarkers analyzed. This association was most significant with exposure measured around the school area. Children who had at least one green space, located at a distance of 400 to 800 meters from the school, had better levels of various biomarkers, particularly cardiovascular and inflammatory”, says Ana Isabel Ribeiro.
From a public health perspective, and adding these findings to a growing body of studies that have revealed physiological and psychosocial benefits from contact with green and natural spaces, “it is critical that local governments and planners ensure that the population has green areas such as parks and gardens within a reasonable distance from their place of residence and school parks”, the researcher adds.
The article, developed within the Epidemiology Research Unit (EPIUnit of ISPUP), is entitled Association between neighbourhood green space and biological markers inschool-aged children. Findings from the Generation XXI birth cohort. The researchers Carla Tavares and Alexandra Guttentag also participated in the study.
The study was developed within the EXALAR XXI project, which is studying the relationship between the urban environment and child health. The researcher Ana Isabel Ribeiro is the project coordinator.
Image: Pixabay/Rhythm_In_Life
