Healthier cities need a strong dose of nature

If the current world trends are correct, in 2025, around 41 million people will die from non-communicable diseases (NCDs) – which include cancer, heart disease, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases and severe mental illness – which account for about 74 percent of all deaths worldwide. Despite the great advances in medicine in recent decades, the number of deaths from NCDs is still increasing.

One of the main factors for the increase of NCDs is urbanization: The research clearly shows that that people living in urban areas without access to green spaces have a higher incidence of NCDs. Since by 2050, two from every three people Probably living in cities, these trends are very worrying.

On the other hand, a number of recent studies at population level in cities around the globe indicate those people who live in greener areas not only present a lower rate of NCDs, but also have significant better physical and mental health. This relationship remains statistically strong regardless of the individual’s socio-economic status, age or gender. In fact, the evidence for this association is so strong that, in 2022, 196 countries in the United Nations Conference of the Parties on Biodiversity signed an international treaty, part of which included the commitment to significantly increase urban green space by 2030.

What is it about green spaces that provide resistance to MNTs? Greater opportunities for exercise, cleaner air, and less heat stress are all reasons that have been proposed – with evidence to support a certain role of urban vegetation in these respects.

Importantly, there is also robust scientific evidence that shows that when we interact directly with nature, biochemical pathways are activated in our bodies that result in significant. beneficial health effects. This research topic started with a group of Japanese scientists trying to determine the true benefits of forest bathing –shinrin-yoku. The evidence they found was so compelling that currently, in Japan, instead of medication, patients with some NCDs are prescribed. spend time sitting in forests.

The good news is that we can achieve similar health benefits in urban green spaces and with indoor vegetation. Clinical experiments show that something as simple as having a vase of unscented roses on your desk, for example, can significantly lower your blood pressure and bring a physiological and psychological calming effect. So can also have leafy plants in your home and office, especially those with green and yellow leaves.