Researchers at Huazhong University of Science and Technology in China recently conducted a study investigating the potential link between long-term exposure to green spaces near your home and two of the most common mental health disorders: depression and anxiety. Their results, published on Nature Mental Health suggest that living near parks and green areas can reduce the risk of becoming depressed and experiencing anxiety.
The impact of green spaces on depression and anxiety
In recent decades, increasing numbers of people have migrated to urban areas, while the size and population of rural areas has declined dramatically.
Although parks and other green spaces are often considered beneficial to the well-being of those living in cities and urban regions, very few studies to date have explored the impact of these spaces on depression and anxiety.
“Our research interest is environmental epidemiology, which mainly focuses on the impacts of environmental exposures, such as vegetation and air pollutants, on human health,” Yaohua Tian, co-author of the study, told Medical Xpress. “There seems to be consensus regarding green spaces that greenery can reduce stress and improve mood. However, this was just an idea ingrained in our minds, and we weren't sure if there was any scientific evidence to support it.”
Tian and his colleagues first looked at previous studies that explored the link between closeness to nature and depression and anxiety. They found that there were only a few articles on this topic, and those available had reached inconsistent conclusions.
“We then analyzed a large cohort to study the effects of long-term exposure to residential greenery on the risk of depression and anxiety,” Tian said. “We then further tested and compared the potential pathways through which greenery may impact depression and anxiety.”
As part of their study, the researchers analyzed data collected from 409,556 people and stored in the UK Biobank database. They specifically looked at the distance between participants and green areas, along with self-reported wellbeing scores, as well as hospitalizations, hospital admissions and deaths in their residential area.
“We assessed the level of greenery around each participant's residential address within 300, 500, 1,000 and 1,500 meters,” Tian explained. “Then, we determined the risk of developing mental health conditions over approximately 12 years, which was determined from national death registry records, hospital admissions, primary care and self-reports.”
The results of the analyzes carried out by Tian and his collaborators suggest that there is a link between prolonged proximity to residential green areas and the incidence of depression and anxiety. Specifically, they suggest that living closer to parks and other green areas reduces the risk of experiencing both depression and anxiety.
“We draw the important conclusion that long-term exposure to residential greenery is associated with a decreased risk of depression and anxiety, and reduced air pollution in greener areas likely plays an important role in this trend,” he said. said Tian. “Our study therefore implies that expanding urban green spaces could promote good mental health.”
The results of this work may soon inspire other research groups to study the link between long-term exposure to natural environments and human mental health or well-being. Collectively, these works could guide future urban planning studies, encouraging governments to invest in new parks or expand existing green areas.
“We now plan to conduct similar studies in different populations and areas, including China,” Tian added. “We are also evaluating the possibility of carrying out serological detection studies to further explore the physiological mechanisms linking green environments to depression and anxiety.”
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