1:22:20 
2023-07-01 
525
A study showing the relationship of green spaces to slowing down aging
City parks and green spaces help counteract the heat, boost biodiversity, and instill a sense of calm in the urban jungle.
According to a new study published in the journal Science Advances, it turns out that green spaces can also help slow biological aging, as researchers found that those who have access to green spaces are, on average, about 2.5 years younger biologically than those who do not.
"Living closer to more greenery can help you look younger than your actual age," said Keizo Kim, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral researcher at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine. Expanding green infrastructure to promote public health and reduce health disparities.
Exposure to green spaces has previously been linked to improved cardiovascular health and lower mortality rates, and more physical activity and social interactions are thought to play an important role, but it's still not clear whether gardens actually slowed aging at the cellular level.
To investigate this, the team behind the recent study examined chemical modifications of DNA, and previous work had shown that so-called epigenetic clocks based on DNA methylation can be a good predictor of health conditions such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cognitive function.
Kim and his colleagues followed more than 900 people from four US cities — Birmingham, Chicago, Minneapolis and Oakland — over a 20-year period, from 1986 to 2006. Using satellite imaging, the team assessed how close the participants' addresses were to surrounding plants and gardens, and paired that data with Blood samples taken at ages 15 and 20 of the study, to determine biological age.
The team created statistical models to assess the results, controlling for other variables, such as education and income, and behavioral factors such as smoking, that might have influenced the results.
They found that people whose homes were surrounded by 30 percent green space within a radius of 5 km (3 miles) were biologically 2.5 years younger than those whose homes were surrounded by 20 percent green space.
Kim explained that these disparities warrant further study. "Other factors, such as stress, characteristics of surrounding green spaces, and social support, can influence the degree to which green spaces benefit in terms of biological aging," he said.
"Next steps may include investigating the link between green spaces and specific health outcomes," he added, noting that "exactly how green spaces reduce aging is not yet clear."
"We have more and better scientific evidence to increase the use and promotion of urban green spaces," said epidemiologist Manuel Franco of Citadel University and Johns Hopkins University, who was not involved in the study.
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