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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 22, 2009
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13

Green Spaces Make You Healthier

People who live near vegetation suffer fewer diseases

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(Newser) – People who live close to parks or other “green spaces” are likely to be healthier, a new study suggests. Dutch researchers scoured the health records of 345,000 people, comparing their health status to the amount of green space in the surrounding area, from a half-mile to 2-mile radius. Of 24 health conditions—including cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurological diseases—people living in purely urban areas suffered higher instances of 15 of them, notes HealthDay.

The connection is strongest with anxiety disorders and depression—instances of these diseases were nearly twice as high in people who lived in areas with 10% green space compared to people in areas with 90% green space. "As health-care costs spiral out of control, it behooves us to think about our green space in terms of preventive health care,” says a dean at Texas A&M.

The sun hits peak fall foliage colors in the White Mountain National Forest in Twin Mountain, N.H., Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009.
The sun hits peak fall foliage colors in the White Mountain National Forest in Twin Mountain, N.H., Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009.   (AP Photo/Jim Cole)
The sun hits peak fall foliage colors in the White Mountain National Forest in Twin Mountain, N.H., Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009.
The sun hits peak fall foliage colors in the White Mountain National Forest in Twin Mountain, N.H., Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009.   (AP Photo/Jim Cole)
The sun hits peak fall foliage colors in the White Mountain National Forest in Twin Mountain, N.H., Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009.
The sun hits peak fall foliage colors in the White Mountain National Forest in Twin Mountain, N.H., Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009.   (AP Photo/Jim Cole)
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13 comments
VIEWING:
 
Jayster999
Oct 15, 09 6:28 PM CDT
Gee, how utterly amazing. Not. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
0
IN RESPONSE:
Yourself
Oct 15, 09 6:40 PM CDT
wow, i actually agree with you... i'm blown away, and to think you didn't politicize your comment either, i'm impressed.
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0
Jayster999
Oct 15, 09 6:43 PM CDT
Do we really need studies to tell us that fresh air sunshine and trees are good for us? Duh. Reply
Vote up! Vote down!
-1
IN RESPONSE:
Fondue
Oct 15, 09 8:02 PM CDT
Yes, we do. Why? Because the anti-green spaces lobby will tell you that you don't, and you'll believe them without question.
Vote up! Vote down!
+2
IN RESPONSE:
Jayster999
Oct 15, 09 8:59 PM CDT
Anti-green spaces lobby? Look who's paranoid now.
Vote up! Vote down!
-1

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