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Children who grow up in a greener environment run up to 55% less likely to develop various mental disorders later in life. This is demonstrated by a new study from the University of Aarhus, Denmark, which highlights the need to design green and healthy cities for the future.
A growing proportion of the world's population now lives in cities and the WHO estimates that more than 450 million people worldwide suffer from a mental disorder. A number that should increase.
Today, based on satellite data from 1985 to 2013, researchers from the University of Aarhus have mapped the presence of green spaces around the children's homes of Nearly one million Danes and compared these data to the risk of developing one of 16 different mental disorders later in life.
The study, published today in the prestigious American Journal PNAS, shows that children surrounded by large amount of green space in their childhood have up to 55% less risk of developing a mental disorder – even after adjusting for other known risk factors such as socio-economic status, urbanization and family history of mental disorders.
All childhood must be green
Kristine Engemann, Postdoc of the Department of Bioscience and the National Registry Research Center based at the University of Aarhus, who led the study, said: "Our data is unique and we had the opportunity use a tremendous amount of data from, among others, home-location and disease diagnoses, and compare them with satellite images revealing the extent of green spaces surrounding each individual as they grow up. "
Researchers know that, for example, noise, air pollution, infections and poor socio-economic conditions increase the risk of developing a mental disorder. Conversely, other studies have shown that more green spaces at the local level create greater social cohesion, increase people's level of physical activity, and improve the cognitive development of people. children. All of these factors can affect people's mental health.
"With our dataset, we show that the risk of developing a mental disorder gradually decreases as you are surrounded by green spaces from birth to age 10. Green spaces during childhood are therefore extremely important, "explains Kristine Engemann.
Green and healthy cities
After adjusting to other known risk factors for the development of a mental disorder, researchers see their findings as a strong indication of a close relationship between green space, urban living and mental disorders.
Kristine Engemann said: "It is becoming increasingly clear that the natural environment plays a larger role than expected in mental health.Our study is important for us to better understand its importance for the whole. Population."
This knowledge has important implications for sustainable urban planning. Notably because a growing proportion of the world's population lives in cities.
"The linkage between mental health and access to green spaces in your area is an element to consider in urban planning to make cities greener and healthier and to improve the mental health of urban residents in urban areas. Future, "adds Professor Jens, co-author -Christian Svenning of the Department of Bioscience at Aarhus University.
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Further information:
Postdoc Kristine Engemann, Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE) & Section of Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biosciences, University of Aarhus, and National Research Center on registers, Department of Economics and Business, Aarhus BSS, University of Aarhus. Email: [email protected]. Phone: + 45 25368404.
Professor Carsten Bøcker Pedersen, National Center for Registries Research, Department of Economics and Business, Aarhus BSS, University of Aarhus. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel .: + 45 87165759.
Professor Jens-Christian Svenning, Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World (BIOCHANGE) and Section of Ecoinformatics and Biodiversity, Department of Biosciences, University of Aarhus. E-mail: [email protected]. Phone: 45 + 28992304.
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