January 8th

By Mutt Mulligan

Study: more green space = less heart disease

Here’s yet another reason to love our living landscapes. A new study shows people who live in green neighborhoods may have a lower chance of developing heart disease and strokes.

In this first-of-its-kind study, researchers from the University of Louisville studied the impacts of green spaces in neighborhoods on stress and cardiovascular disease risk over a five year period. The 400-plus study participants were selected from the University of Louisville’s outpatient cardiology clinic and were at an elevated risk for developing heart disease.

Researchers found the participants living in areas with more green vegetation had lower levels of stress. They also exhibited less oxidative stress, an indicator of better health. Additionally, these people had a higher capacity to repair blood vessels.

The lead study author, professor of medicine, and director of Diabetes Obesity Center at the University of Louisville, Aruni Bhatnagar, Ph.D, summed it up best. “Indeed, increasing the amount of vegetation in a neighborhood may be an unrecognized environmental influence on cardiovascular health and a potentially significant public health intervention.”

This is just the latest study linking green space to good health and overall well-being. To learn more about the many ways living landscapes benefit us, go to SaveLivingLandscapes.com.