Life near a city park can be as healthy as out in the country

Proof at last: living near parks and woodland boosts health, regardless of social class. Access to green spaces, whether they be rolling chalk downs or simple playing fields, has an independently beneficial impact on health and health-related behaviour which counteracts the effects of poverty and inner-city deprivation, the research by scientists found.

The links between serious illnesses and poverty are well established, but this is the first time scientists have systematically shown that the health gap between rich and poor can be halved with the help of green spaces.

When all deaths were analysed, the gulf in health between the rich and the poor in the greenest areas of Britain was roughly half of that observed in the least green parts of the country, according to the findings published in the medical journal The Lancet.

The difference between those living in the greenest and least green areas was largest when looking at deaths from circulatory diseases.

However, the scientists found that living near green space had little effect for death from lung cancer, which is only weakly linked with exercise; or for death by self-harming.

The authors of the study, Richard Mitchell, of Glasgow University, and Frank Popham, of the University of St Andrews, believe that the findings are strong enough for planning authorities to consider making green spaces available on grounds of health and wellbeing.

The two scientists assessed the entire population of England under the retirement age – a total of 41 million people – and obtained the cause of death for 366,348 people who died between 2001 and 2005 to analyse the links between fatal illnesses and access to green spaces.

"Populations that are exposed to the greenest environments have the lowest levels of health inequality related to income deprivation," they said.

"Evidence suggests that contact with such environments has independent salutogenic effects, for example, green spaces independently promote physical activity.

"However, the effect of green space is not solely based on promotion or enhancement of physical activity. Several studies have shown that contact (either by presence or visual) with green spaces can by psychologically and physiologically restorative, reducing blood pressure and stress levels and possibly promoting faster healing in patients after surgical intervention."

They conclude: "The implications of this study are clear: environments that promote good health might be crucial in the fight to reduce health inequalities."

In an accompanying commentary article in The Lancet, Terry Hartig of the Institute for Housing and Urban Research at Sweden's Uppsala University, writes: "This study offers valuable evidence that green space does more than pretty up the neighbourhood; it appears to have real effects on health inequality, of a kind that politicians and health authorities should take seriously."

Dr Mitchell, who is based at the university's department of public health and health policy, said: "We would encourage the Government to consider carefully what their policy on green spaces is and to bear this research in mind when planning urban areas for the future."