WASHINGTON - City parks and green spaces help counter heat, boost biodiversity, and instil a sense of calm in the urban jungle.
“We believe our findings have significant implications for urban planning in terms of expanding green infrastructure to promote public health and reduce health disparities.” To investigate, the team behind the study examined DNA chemical modifications known as “methylation”. Using satellite imaging, the team assessed how close the participants’ residential addresses were to surrounding vegetation and parks, and paired this data with blood samples taken in years 15 and years 20 of the study, to determine their biological age.
The benefits were not evenly shared. Black people with more access to green space were only one year biologically younger, while white people were three years younger.