New research published in the journal Psychological Science has found that people living in urban areas
with more green space tend to report greater well-being than city dwellers that
don't have parks, gardens, or other green space nearby.
The research has been led by Dr Mathew White from the
University of Exeter Medical School's European Centre for Environment &
Human Health, in Truro, Cornwall.
How the study was
By examining data from a national survey that followed UK
households over time, Dr White and colleagues at the European Centre have found
that individuals reported less mental distress and higher life satisfaction
when they were living in greener areas.
Importantly, this association held even after the
researchers accounted for changes over time in participants' income,
employment, marital status, physical health, and housing type.
Dr White and colleagues were surprised by the scale of the
effects of living in a greener area in comparison to 'big hitting' life events,
such as marriage:
"We've found that living in an urban area with
relatively high levels of green space can have a significantly positive impact
on well-being, roughly equal to a third of the impact of being married."
This effect is also equivalent to a tenth of the impact of
being employed (vs unemployed).
The results show that even when stacked up against other
factors that contribute to life satisfaction, living in a greener area has a
"These kinds of comparisons are important for
policymakers when trying to decide how to invest scarce public resources, such
as for park development or upkeep, and figuring out what 'bang' they'll get for
their buck" says Dr White.
Time in green space
good for health
Findings from previous studies have suggested a correlation
between green space and well being, but those studies were not able to rule out
the possibility that people with higher levels of well being simply move to
greener areas. Dr White and colleagues were able to solve that problem by using
longitudinal data (data gathered from the repeated observation of participants
over time) from the national survey, with data collected annually from over
10,000 people between 1991 and 2008.
The new research does not prove that moving to a greener
area will necessarily cause increased happiness, but it does fit with findings
from experimental studies showing that short bouts of time in a green space can
improve people's mood and cognitive functioning.
While the effect for any one person might be small, Dr White
points out that the potential positive effects of green space for society at
large might be substantial.
"This research could be important for psychologists,
public health officials and urban planners who are interested in learning about
the effects that urbanisation and city planning can have on population health
and well being" Dr White concludes.