What impact do green spaces have on health?

Today's urban environment is becoming increasingly densified as a result of the growth of buildings, and at the same time, more exposed to extreme climatic phenomena. This status has made access to green spaces a necessity, as numerous programs of study link their presence to an improvement in both the physical and mental health of the population.

In this sense, the lack of green spaces in cities generates problems such as stress, anxiety and obesity. For this reason, as pointed out in the report "Influencia del medioambiente urbano en la salud de las personas" (Influence of the urban environment on people's health), carried out by the BIOMA Institute of the University of Navarra in partnership with Sanitas through the Chair Sanitas Salud y Medioambiente, increasing the presence of trees in urban areas by 30% could prevent more than 2,600 deaths per year in Europe ^[1].

"The design of cities directly influences the health of society. Having trees, parks and green areas improves air quality, reduces the impact of heat and promotes the overall well-being of people. Given this status, it is essential to integrate these spaces into urban environments to move towards a healthier and more sustainable city model ," explains Jesús Miguel Santamaría, director of the BIOMA Institute.

In this perspective, the researchers highlight the main positive impacts of green spaces on health:

- They contribute to recovery and physical rest: green areas provide a favorable environment for recovery by providing a space where the body and mind can relax. The combination of fresh air, nature's own sounds and the absence of urban stimuli reduce muscular and mental fatigue, promote a higher quality rest and a more efficient recovery.

- Stimulate cardiovascular health: access to natural spaces favors the adoption of healthy habits that directly benefit the cardiovascular system. Therefore, performing physical activities in an outdoor environment improves blood circulation, thus reducing the presence of risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels or the risks associated with subject 2 diabetes.

- Strengthen the immune and respiratory system: continuous exhibition to the biodiversity present in urban parks and gardens increases the body's ability to defend itself against various pathologies. In fact, the improvement in air quality that accompanies these green spaces contributes indirectly to mitigate the exhibition to pollutants that can weaken the natural defenses and reduce morbidity and mortality associated with respiratory pathologies.

- Improve sleep quality: regular interaction with green environments facilitates stress reduction and promotes physical activity, two core topic factors for a restful sleep. Therefore, the combination of these financial aid elements financial aid to regulate rest cycles, which translates into better sleep quality and, consequently, an improvement in overall well-being.

- Reduction of urban temperature: it has been found that the presence of green areas and trees in city streets has a significant effect on the so-called urban heat islands. According to the documentation studied for the report, the temperature in parks can be reduced by up to 3.5 ºC and in tree-lined streets by 3.1 ºC. Moreover, Sanitas, in line with the One Health concept, has been promoting the Healthy Cities initiative for ten years, a program that combines the promotion of healthy habits with the reforestation of urban and natural spaces. The proposed challenge is to walk 6,000 steps a day for two months and, thanks to this commitment, the company makes a donation to plant trees in different environments.

Since the beginning of the program, more than 100,000 people have joined the challenge and more than 75,000 trees have been planted in seven Spanish cities (Madrid, Valencia, Zaragoza, Malaga, Cordoba, Melilla and Los Llanos de Aridane), as well as in natural areas in provinces such as Avila, Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia and Asturias.

In addition, Healthy Cities has acquired an international dimension and is currently held in countries where Bupa, Sanitas' parent company, has a presence, such as Mexico, Ecuador and Chile, among others.

In order to continue filling cities with green spaces, Sanitas has announced for the second year the Espacios Healthy Cities Sanitas awards, where city councils throughout Spain are invited to present projects for the creation, improvement or conservation of green areas to improve the social well-being of their inhabitants. The ultimate goal is to identify and give visibility to those actions that contribute to making cities greener, more livable and healthier.

"Health and environmental sustainability are more interconnected than ever. At Sanitas we are aware of this and hope that these initiatives reflect the potential for partnership between citizens, the private sector and governments to build healthier and more resilient cities," concludes Catherine Cummings, Director of Sustainability at Sanitas.