women live closer to a high level of green vegetation, have lower mortality rates than women living in less green space, according to a new...
women live closer to a high level of green vegetation, have lower mortality rates than women living in less green space, according to a new report. (Pixabay)
21, April 2016
DENVER - women live closer to a high level of green vegetation, have lower mortality rates than women in less green areas live, according to a new research funded National Institute of Sciences of Environmental Health, part of National Institutes Health.
Dr. Bonnie Joubert Ph.D., director of public health scientific program of the National Institute of Health Sciences of the Environment, said the study found that women had the highest levels of vegetation and greenery, near their homes a rate of 12 percent less than the women with the lowest vegetation mortality.
"It makes us look at our own natural environments reflect both our home and where we spend time outside the house," he said. "So I think it is encouraging for legislators, believe that the potential benefits of the green in urban areas to increase."
She said researchers found that women living in green areas, a mortality rate of 41 per cent lower had kidney disease, respiratory disease at a rate of 34 percent lower and at a rate of 13 percent fewer deaths from cancer than women in the green areas.
Joubert said that the scientists were able to isolate the effects of green vegetation to take other factors which also contribute to the higher mortality, including age, ethnicity, smoking and socioeconomic status. He added that the research also hints on how an environment with trees, shrubs and plants could reduce mortality rates.
"The downstream effects that a person could be social engagement, better mental health and increase physical activity and air pollution to reduce", he added. "The authors point out, all of these things are factors."
The study looked green around the houses of more than 100,000 women in a separate study, with high-resolution satellite images and documented some changes in vegetation and more than 8,600 deaths between 2000 and 2008.
The full report can be read online here.
