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Green Spaces
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 Living near parks can increase your lifespan, a new Japanese study has found, highlighting the importance of green spaces in densely populated urban areas.
Researchers at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University monitored the longevity of more than 3,000 people living in Tokyo – one of the most densely populated cities in the world – who were born between 1903 and 1918.
The results of the study, published in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, showed that more hours of sunlight and lower environmental noise levels were both associated with longer lives.
But it was a proximity to public parks and tree-lined streets that appeared to have the greatest impact on the length of pensioners’ lives, even when taking into account factors known to affect longevity, such as gender, marital status, income and age.
The researchers pointed to earlier evidence that showed the more physically active an older person was, the longer they tended to live – and concluded that the availability of green spaces encouraged people to exercise where otherwise they may not.
“Master plans for urban development should pay more attention to maintaining and increasing greenery-filled public areas that are within easy walking distance of every household,” said the study’s authors.
UK charity Age Concern said the crucial factor for older people was the availability of public space – green or otherwise – that provided a sense of safety and security.
“It isn’t really about green space – but about access to any space where older people can feel safe and secure to do physical exercise,” said a spokesperson. “There is a high percentage of older people who worry about crime, especially in parks where there are issues of lighting and remoteness.”
© Copyright HMG Worldwide 2002
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