Green Space and Health in an Urban World

Environmental Preservation and Improvement, 10/6 2020

By: Sean Liu and Ben Plotnik

Industrialization has driven 55% of the global population to reside in urban areas, a proportion
expected to increase to 68% by 2050. These cities often lack access to green space, areas
characterized by vegetation and typically defined by a government land use designation or a
metric like normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI). We examined the efficacy of access
to green space in improving human health to inform readers on what value lies in green spaces,
and whether their introduction should be prioritized in urban areas.

We read multiple studies that found significant correlations between proximity to green space
and better self-reported mental health in general health questionnaires. One study of interest
measured mental health reports of a random sample that had all moved homes over a five year
period, finding significant and sustained improvements in mood associated with a greener living
space and significant decreases in self-reported mood score associated with a move to a less
green area over a period of years. Other studies observed improved mood not only from green
space itself, but also from the clean air, space for physical activity, and amenities that greenery
and parks allow. This data suggests green space may improve the long term mood baseline for
urban dwellers who take advantage of these spaces.

Living in a greener area may also improve respiratory health outcomes. One study we read
examined respiratory health in children as they grew from birth through age four in different
geographic regions of Spain, finding significantly lower incidence of wheezing in one region and
a lower rate of bronchitis in another for those in greener areas. The research suggests the
introduction of green space in cities would lead to mild improvements in reported mental health
and possible improvements in respiratory health.
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