Evidence

High ambient temperatures are associated with many health effects, including premature mortality. The combination of global warming due to climate change and the expansion of the global built environment mean that the intensification of urban heat islands (UHIs) is expected, accompanied by adverse effects on population health. Urban green infrastructure can reduce local temperatures. This study aimed to estimate the mortality burden that could be attributed to UHIs and the mortality burden that would be prevented by increasing urban tree coverage in 93 European cities.

Residing in areas with lower levels of air pollution and higher green space is beneficial to physical and mental health. This study investigated associations of PM_2.5, tree cover and grass cover with in-hours and out-of-hours GP visits and ER visits, for young people and adults. The findings confirm the importance of reducing air pollution and fostering green zones, and that such policies may contribute positively to economic growth.

This report finds that green prescribing can save more in healthcare costs than the price of running a ‘green prescribing’ scheme.

Wild at Heart, run by Sheffield and Rotherham Wildlife Trust, generated cost savings of £38,646 based on 82 participants over a year; or for every £1 invested, there is £1.19 of additional benefit in terms of reduced costs to the NHS. The researchers also looked at the impact, if the programme delivered at greater scale – to 1.2 million people. They found it could result in annual cost savings of £635.6 million, for an investment of £534 million.

This study of c.800,000 children in Denmark found that individuals living in areas of lower amounts of greenspace had an increased risk of developing ADHD compared with individuals living in highly green areas. The relationship between greenspace and ADHD remained even when confounding factors had been adjusted for. The findings suggest that lower levels of green space in residential surroundings during early childhood may be associated with an increased risk of developing ADHD.

This study of c.50,000 children in New Zealand found that children who lived in greener areas had a significantly lower risk of asthma. The results also showed that plant biodiversity was associated with lowering this risk.

This report explores the scale of the problem and the challenges and opportunities that the Government faces in aiming to meet its commitment for all households to be within 15 minutes-walk of nature.

This review was to examine whether green space has a greater protective influence on physical health in more urban areas than in less urban settings. It suggests there are greater protective impacts on health in more urban areas, which may be used to encourage prioritisation of green space in cities and towns.

Green spaces and nature-based interventions (NBIs) are reviewed to consider their influence on cardiovascular and cancer outcomes, by categorising interventions into four categories: forest bathing, green exercise, green gardening and nature viewing. These aspects of health included; blood pressure, cancer related quality of life and biomarkers of cardiovascular risk. Both green spaces and NBIs were observed to beneficially impact health outcomes of these conditions.

This paper discusses the relationship between the quality and quantity of green spaces and three health outcomes: general health, mental health and mortality. Evidence suggests that quantity of green space strongly improves mental health and lowers mortality rates as well as moderately improving general health. Quality of green space was observed to positively impact general and mental health.

This paper documents the specific health outcomes of green spaces, outlining largely positive outcomes in regards to physical activity, weight impact, birth outcomes and cardiovascular consequences. Green space was typically found to increase exercise and so decrease obesity and poor cardiovascular outcomes. Mental and social health benefitted as green space allows for social connection mitigating loneliness. Findings showed that lower socioeconomic populations typically had less access to green space.