Skip to main content

Interplay Between Residential Nature Exposure and Walkability and Their Association with Cardiovascular Health

 

Interplay Between Residential Nature Exposure and Walkability: A Path to Better Cardiovascular Health

Our modern urban environments are reshaping the way we live, move, and connect with nature. But did you know that where you live—and the accessibility of green spaces—could significantly influence your heart health? Recent research reveals how residential nature exposure, coupled with walkable neighborhoods, plays a pivotal role in cardiovascular (CV) health.

The Link Between Green Spaces and Heart Health

Green spaces have long been associated with numerous physical and mental health benefits. Studies show that access to natural environments can reduce stress, promote physical activity, and improve overall well-being. More importantly, green spaces may act as a protective factor against cardiovascular diseases (CVD), including hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and atherosclerosis.

But what exactly makes green spaces so beneficial? It’s not just the presence of trees and parks. The quality and accessibility of these spaces matter. That’s where the concept of the NatureScore comes in.

Understanding NatureScore

NatureScore is a composite measure that quantifies the natural environment exposure and quality of green spaces surrounding residential areas. Based on a scale from 0 to 100, NatureScore evaluates the proximity, size, and quality of green spaces within a given neighborhood. In this study, NatureScores were categorized as follows:

  • Nature deficient/light: 0-39

  • Nature adequate: 40-59

  • Nature rich: 60-79

  • Nature utopia: 80-100

The research found that individuals living in areas with higher NatureScores had significantly lower prevalence rates of CV risk factors. This effect persisted even after adjusting for neighborhood walkability.

Walkability: The Missing Piece of the Puzzle

While green spaces provide essential health benefits, they’re most effective when paired with walkable environments. Walkability refers to how friendly a neighborhood is for walking, including features like sidewalks, street connectivity, and proximity to amenities.

The study revealed a compelling interaction between NatureScore and walkability. In neighborhoods with high green space (NatureScore ≥60) and high walkability (≥40), residents experienced:

  • Lower prevalence of CV risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, and obesity.

  • Increased likelihood of an optimal cardiovascular risk profile, characterized by healthier blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and body weight.

What the Research Says

This cross-sectional study included over one million adult patients from the Houston Methodist Learning Health System Outpatient Registry (2016-2022). Key findings include:

  • Green spaces matter: Patients living in the highest NatureScore neighborhoods had a lower prevalence of CV risk factors (Odds Ratio: 0.91) and ASCVD (Odds Ratio: 0.96) compared to those in the lowest NatureScore areas.

  • Walkability amplifies benefits: Those residing in neighborhoods with both high NatureScore and walkability were 9% more likely to maintain an optimal cardiovascular risk profile.

  • Demographic insights: Among the participants (mean age 52 years, 59% female), the median NatureScore was 69.4, with notable variations across ethnic groups.

Practical Implications for Urban Design

The findings underscore the need for urban planners, policymakers, and public health advocates to consider both green spaces and walkability in city design. Here are some actionable takeaways:

  1. Invest in Green Spaces: Prioritize the creation and maintenance of high-quality parks, trails, and natural reserves, particularly in urban and underserved areas.

  2. Enhance Walkability: Design neighborhoods with pedestrian-friendly infrastructure, such as safe sidewalks, bike lanes, and accessible transit options.

  3. Equitable Access: Ensure that all communities, regardless of socioeconomic status, have access to green spaces and walkable environments.

  4. Promote Active Lifestyles: Encourage outdoor activities such as walking, jogging, or cycling, which leverage the health benefits of both nature and physical movement.

Conclusion: A Green and Walkable Future

This study paints a clear picture: the combination of residential nature exposure and walkable environments is a powerful tool for preventing cardiovascular diseases. As urbanization continues to rise, integrating these elements into city planning is not just a luxury but a necessity for promoting public health.

For individuals, choosing to live in neighborhoods rich in green spaces and walkability can be a proactive step toward better heart health. For communities, fostering these environments can lead to healthier, happier, and more sustainable living.

The heart of the matter is simple: green, walkable spaces make for healthier hearts.

28th Edition of International Research Awards on Science, Health and Engineering | 27-28 January 2025|Amsterdam, Netherlands

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Wiggling worms suggest link between vitamin B12 and Alzheimer’s

Worms don’t wiggle when they have Alzheimer’s disease. Yet something helped worms with the disease hold onto their wiggle in Professor Jessica Tanis’s lab at the University of Delaware. In solving the mystery, Tanis and her team have yielded new clues into the potential impact of diet on Alzheimer’s, the dreaded degenerative brain disease afflicting more than 6 million Americans. A few years ago, Tanis and her team began investigating factors affecting the onset and progression of Alzheimer’s disease. They were doing genetic research with  C. elegans , a tiny soil-dwelling worm that is the subject of numerous studies. Expression of amyloid beta, a toxic protein implicated in Alzheimer’s disease, paralyzes worms within 36 hours after they reach adulthood. While the worms in one petri dish in Tanis’s lab were rendered completely immobile, the worms of the same age in the adjacent petri dish still had their wiggle, documented as “body bends,” by the scientists. “It was an observa...
Post a Comment
Read more

‘Massive-scale mobilization’ necessary for addressing climate change, scientists say

A year after a global coalition of more than 11,000 scientists declared a climate emergency, Oregon State University researchers who initiated the declaration released an update today that points to a handful of hopeful signs, but shares continued alarm regarding an overall lack of progress in addressing climate risks. “Young people in more than 3,500 locations around the world have organized to push for urgent action,” said Oregon State University’s William Ripple, who co-authored “The Climate Emergency: 2020 in Review,” published today in Scientific American. “And the Black Lives Matter movement has elevated social injustice and equality to the top of our consciousness. “Rapid progress in each of the climate action steps we outline is possible if framed from the outset in the context of climate justice – climate change is a deeply moral issue. We desperately need those who face the most severe climate risks to help shape the response.” One year ago, Ripple, distinguished profess...
Post a Comment
Read more

Ancient Shell Sounds

Abandoned at the mouth of your shelter you quivered apprehensively at our approach, crying out to be held as we proclaimed the exception of your discovery. Sighing wearily as we consigned you to the dusty silence of our archives. But now When I hold you in my hands, I see the face of your purposefully speckled complexion. When I lift you to my ear, I hear the sound of an ancient sea lapping at your shores. When I place you at my lips, I feel the heartbeat of your creator pulsing to my breath. I close my eyes, as you call out to all that you have lost. The shell that was recovered from the Marsoulas cave in the Pyrenees of France (Image Credit: C. Fritz, MusĆ©um d’Histoire naturelle de Toulouse). This poem is inspired by recent research , which has discovered that a large seashell that sat in a French museum for decades is actually a musical instrument used around 18,000 years ago. In 1931, researchers working in southern France unearthed a large seashell at the entr...
Post a Comment
Read more