# Parks, Green Spaces Protect Mental & Physical Health



## Daniel (Oct 27, 2009)

Parks, Green Spaces Protect Your Health
by Salynn  Boyles, reviewed by Louise  Chang, MD 
WebMD Mental Health News

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.

*Biggest Impact on Anxiety, Depression*
The study included data on the prevalence of 24 different health conditions treated over the course of a year among about 350,000 patients seen at 96 practices.

For 15 of the 24 conditions, the annual prevalence was lower among patients living in the greenest areas, even after the researchers controlled for factors known to influence health.
     Among the other major findings:


The impact was greatest for  mental health conditions. Compared to people living in areas with the least green spaces, those living in areas with the most were a third less likely to have anxiety disorders that required treatment and roughly one-fifth less likely to receive treatment for depression.
Among the physical health conditions, the apparent protective benefits of living in greener areas appeared strongest for respiratory diseases such as  asthma, COPD, and upper respiratory infections.
A much weaker association was seen for other common health conditions, including cardiovascular disease,  diabetes, and  cancer.
     Surprisingly, greater access to green spaces appeared to have no impact on health of people living in the most urban neighborhoods included in the study.

The researchers speculate that this might be because green spaces in poor, highly urban areas may not be used as much because they are perceived as unsafe.

*Green Spaces Reduce Stress, Encourage Exercise*
Earlier studies suggest green spaces in primarily urban areas improve health by lowering  stress and encouraging  exercise.

"There is a huge body of research showing that having access to green spaces is psychologically beneficial," says urban naturalist Mike Houck, who is executive director of the Urban Greenspace Institute in Portland, Ore.

When Houck began his career in 1980, urban planners often told him there was no place for nature within the city limits.

     "They told me my job was to protect the natural areas outside the city and that everything within was essentially up for grabs," he tells WebMD. "It has taken 30 years, but attitudes have definitely changed."

     So much so that two major health insurance providers in Portland, Ore. were active in persuading voters to pass a $227 million bond in 2006 dedicated to acquiring new green spaces.

     "That was the first time they had ever endorsed a bond measure, but they understood its importance," he says. "It is inconceivable to me that a person out for a walk or a bicycle ride or a kayak trip does not benefit both physically and mentally."

_Related articles:
_71% Report Depression Decrease After Green Walk, 22% Report Depression Increase After Urban Walk
Nature Outings Reduce ADHD Symptoms


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## Daniel (May 10, 2010)

In the green of health: Just five minutes of green exercise optimal for good mental health
_The American Chemical Society_

*In the green of health: Just five minutes of ?green exercise?  optimal for good mental health*

WASHINGTON, May 1, 2010 ? How much ?green exercise? produces the  greatest improvement in mood and sense of personal well-being?  A new  study in the American Chemical Society?s semi-monthly journal _Environmental  Science & Technology_ has a surprising answer.  

The answer is likely to please people in a society with much to do  but little time to do it: Just five minutes of exercise in a park,  working in a backyard garden, on a nature trail, or other green space  will benefit mental health.

Jules Pretty and Jo Barton explain in the study that green exercise  is physical activity in the presence of nature. Abundant scientific  evidence shows that activity in natural areas decreases the risk of  mental illness and improves the sense of well-being. Until now, however,  nobody knew how much time people had to spend in green spaces to get  those and other benefits.

Just five minutes of exercise in a green nature setting, like these beautiful hills in Vermont, can boost mood and self-esteem.

?For the first time in the scientific literature, we have been able  to show dose-response relationships for the positive effects of nature  on human mental health,? Pretty said.
  From an analysis of 1,252 people (of different ages, genders and  mental health status) drawn from ten existing studies in the United  Kingdom, the authors were able to show that activity in the presence of  nature  led to mental and physical health improvements.

They analyzed activities such as walking, gardening, cycling,  fishing, boating, horse-riding and farming. The greatest health changes  occurred in the young and the mentally-ill, although people of all ages  and social groups benefited. All natural environments were beneficial  including parks in urban settings. Green areas with water added  something extra. A blue and green environment seems even better for  health, Pretty noted.

From a health policy perspective, the largest positive effect on  self-esteem came from a five-minute dose.

?We know from the literature that short-term mental health  improvements are protective of long-term health benefits,? Pretty said.   ?So we believe that there would be a large potential benefit to  individuals, society and to the costs of the health service if all  groups of people were to self-medicate more with green exercise,? added  Barton.

A challenge for policy makers is that policy recommendations on  physical activity are easily stated but rarely adopted widely as public  policy, Pretty noted, adding that the economic benefits could be  substantial.

Policy frameworks that suggest active living point to the need for  changes to physical, social and natural environments, and are more  likely to be effective if physical activity becomes an inevitable part  of life rather than a matter of daily choice. 

_Full research article:_
What is the Best Dose of Nature and Green Exercise for Improving Mental Health? A Multi-Study Analysis


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## Daniel (May 18, 2010)

From a blog that mentions the study:



> What you can do in five minutes:
> 
> * Get out of the office and walk to a tree, park, or garden. Take a few deep  breaths, and back you go!
> * Take the dog for a walk.
> ...


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