Green areas improve heart health

A small study suggests that people living in neighborhoods with larger green areas may be less stressed and risk of heart attacks and stroke than those in many green areas.

Researchers at the American Heart Association note that at the population level, long-term connectivity is associated with green areas in residential areas, reduced risk of death from heart disease, respiratory problems and decreased risk of hospitalization due to heart attacks and strokes.

But there is little evidence to show whether this link is true at the individual level.

For this study, researchers tested a range of vital signs of stress and risk of heart disease in blood samples and urine in 408 patients at a heart hospital in Louisville, Kentucky.

The researchers also used satellite data from NASA and the US Geological Survey to estimate the size of green spaces where everyone lives.

The study found that adrenaline levels were lower in urine samples than those living in green areas compared to people living in areas with a lower green area, indicating lower levels of stress. They also have an indicator of oxidative stress.

In addition, people living in more green areas have been able to maintain healthy blood vessels compared to those living in limited green areas.

"Both the magnitude and the force of the effect of greenery on health is surprising," said Arunny Battnagar, lead author of the study. "If the results of this study are confirmed, then continuous interaction with nature may be one way to reduce the risk of heart disease," he said.