Researchers have found that simply living near a park or body of water can significantly improve a person's resilience against heart disease.
Medical Xpress reported that proximity to green and blue spaces directly correlates to an indicator of better cardiovascular health, especially among certain races and socioeconomic groups. The researchers observed the most significant impacts among Black individuals and people living in low-income areas and published their findings in the journal Circulation.
The researchers studied 25 years of data from 2,960 Black and white men and women around 50, living in Chicago; Minneapolis; Birmingham, Alabama; and Oakland, California.
Among the group studied, Black participants with access to a river had a 32% lower risk of coronary artery calcification, and those with greater green space access had a 35% lower risk, according to Medical Xpress. Coronary artery calcification is an early warning sign of coronary artery disease and heart attack, as the Cleveland Clinic explained.
This study is significant because it further indicates the benefits of blue and green spaces on human health. Its authors pointed out how natural areas offer more than just opportunities for exercise, stress relief, and social interaction. Those places are scientifically shown to improve our immune systems, fight chronic inflammation, boost cardiovascular health, and slow the effects of aging, per the study summary.
"Our findings provide quantitative evidence supporting environmental policies to enhance the accessibility and quality of residential blue and green spaces, which can promote public health benefit and address racial and neighborhood-related health disparities," said Dr. Lifang Hou, an author of the study and preventive medicine professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, per Medical Xpress.
The researchers noted that the condition and safety of parks and waterways and the distance required to access them impact the effectiveness of natural areas on cardiovascular health.
This indicates a public health opportunity to improve the quality of existing parks and make them more inviting and accessible for middle-aged individuals. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the American population is steadily getting older and the nation's median age is increasing by the year. Now is the time to take action to support the health of older adults.
Ultimately, this new study adds to a growing body of research about the healing effects of nature, right down to the cellular level.
The study's authors concluded: "Additional studies investigating the role of urban environment with more comprehensive aspects of blue and green spaces such as perceived blue and greenness and individual use, relationships with climate change, and residential selection will contribute to a deeper understanding in the association with health outcomes."
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