Women miss out on health benefit of green spaces, major study finds

ONLY men get real health benefits from parks and green spaces, according to a new study which claims women do not get the same boost from living near wooded areas.

Researchers from Glasgow and Edinburgh universities found that men who live in neighbourhoods with more green space are less likely to die from heart or lung problems, but that this benefit does not extend to women.

It has been suggested that this may be down to the fact that men and women view and use park areas in very contrasting ways.

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The large-scale study looked at the availability of green spaces – such as parks, playing fields and woodlands – in urban neighbourhoods across the UK, and compared rates of death from heart or lung conditions in areas with different amounts of green space. The report, which involved an estimated 29 million working age adults, also took into account differences such as levels of wealth and air pollution.

It found that men living in the greenest neighbourhoods were about 10 per cent less likely to die from lung problems than those in the least green neighbourhoods, but there was no difference for women.

Professor Richard Mitchell of the University of Glasgow's Public Health and Health Policy department, who led the study, said: "The result was a real surprise, because up to now the assumption has been that green spaces are good for everyone."

Prof Mitchell said that while the study had not examined possible reasons for the difference between men and women, they had referred to previous papers for explanations.

"We looked at other studies that examined the way men and women use green spaces. They suggested that men were more likely to take vigorous exercise in them, whether that means football or running, whereas women would perhaps view them as somewhere to take their children. Also, women can be discouraged from using them because they view these areas as unsafe."

Prof Mitchell added: "The fact that we did see lower risks of death for some people is impressive. In this time of financial cutbacks, policy makers should look to protect our parks and woodlands."

The study has been published in the journal of Social Science and Medicine.

Chest, Heart and Stroke Scotland's chief executive David Clark said: "Men are at higher risk of heart and lung disease, therefore anything which reduces this risk has to be a good thing. Having access to green space gives people, even those with health problems, the opportunity of fresh air and exercise."

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Kevin Lafferty, access health and recreation adviser for Forestry Commission Scotland, who funded the research, said: "What we are trying to do is promote the local areas, to encourage people to use the green spaces on their doorstep."

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