Young Kids Who Grow Up Near Green Spaces Less Likely to Have Emotional Problems, Study Finds
THURSDAY, April 11, 2024 (HealthDay News) — A new study has revealed that young children who grow up close to nature are less likely to have emotional problems, regardless of whether the green space is a park or a backyard.
Researchers from the Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute at the University of North Carolina found that the more green space there is within three-quarters of a mile of a child’s home, the fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression they will have between ages 2 and 5.
Lead researcher Nissa Towe-Goodman emphasized the importance of early childhood exposure to green spaces. The study analyzed data from over 2,100 children in 41 U.S. states, comparing depression and anxiety symptoms with satellite data on nearby green spaces.
The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and published in JAMA Network Open, showed a significant association between more green space and fewer mental health symptoms in younger children, even when considering other factors like gender, parents’ education, and neighborhood quality.
Interestingly, the researchers did not find a significant link between green spaces and mental health symptoms in children aged 6 to 11 after they have started school.
Towe-Goodman suggested that future research could explore the types of nature experiences that benefit children’s mental health and study the impact of creating or preserving natural areas around homes and schools.
For more information on the benefits of nature for mental health, visit the American Psychological Association website.
SOURCE: National Institutes of Health, press release, April 10, 2024