Green thumbs, healthy bodies

New research has highlighted the powerful impact green space has on physical health.

The study examined DNA markers linked to ageing in nearly 500 Australian women and found that those living in areas with more greenery – including trees, plants and grass – had lower biological ages than expected. In practical terms, increasing greenery within 1 km of home by a moderate amount – like planting more trees or expanding existing parks – could slow the biological ageing rate by 0.6 years. Similar benefits were seen across distances from 300 m to 2 km. 

The findings go further: adding a little extra greenery within 500 m of people’s homes (0.1 on the vegetation index) could reduce overall risk of death by 3%.

The research was led by Dr. Rongbin Xu, a VicHealth Postdoctoral Fellow, in collaboration with Monash University’s Climate, Air Quality Research (CARE) unit.

Of course, greener towns and suburbs are also better for walking, which has immense benefits for our mental and physical health. 

These results underscore how the way we design our cities – including where and how we invest in green spaces – can directly influence how quickly people age and even their risk of dying. 

Full study: https://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/doi/10.1289/EHP8793