Green spaces may slow biological aging

Parks, trees and green spaces around homes do more than make neighborhoods look beautiful.

A new study suggests that living near more greenery may also be linked to a younger biological age. According to the research people who live in greener areas may be biologically around two and a half

years younger than those living in areas with less greenery. Researchers from the United States and Spain studied the possible connection between green surroundings and biological aging.

Keizo Kim a postdoctoral researcher at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and the study’s lead author said that having more green space around a home may help people maintain a younger biological age.

For the study researchers examined the home addresses of 924 people who lived in four US cities between 1986 and 2006.

They looked at how close the participants lived to parks and other areas with vegetation. The researchers then compared this information with blood samples collected during the same period.

They also considered factors such as education income and smoking to better understand the relationship between green spaces and biological age.

The findings suggested that people living in areas with about 30% green space within a five kilometre area were biologically around two and a half years younger than those living in areas with only about 20% green space.

Researchers said one possible reason could be that green areas provide more opportunities for physical activity and social interaction.

Urban parks and other green spaces may also help reduce heat support biodiversity and create a calmer environment.

These factors could contribute to overall health and well being. However the findings show a possible link rather than proving that green spaces directly make people younger.

More research is needed to understand how the environment may influence biological aging.