Green and blue spaces show health associations, with gaps across outcomes
A review of human population research linked green spaces with lower mortality and several other favourable outcomes. Findings varied by outcome, and the associations cannot establish that these environments caused better health.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Across existing research summaries, exposure to green spaces was associated with lower mortality from all causes and cardiovascular disease, alongside several other favourable outcomes. Blue spaces were linked with lower obesity rates and better psychological well-being. However, findings for cancer, asthma, and allergic rhinitis were mixed, and these observational associations do not demonstrate causation.
The abstract does not provide effect sizes, precise exposure comparisons, follow-up periods, or certainty ratings for individual outcomes. It therefore cannot show how large or dependable each reported association was.
Several outcomes, different answers
The green-space findings also included diabetes, metabolic syndrome, low birth weight, and mental health. These are separate outcomes, so a favourable association for mortality does not establish an equally clear relationship with every condition examined.
What the review can establish
The researchers assessed both evidence quality and review methods. Their summary helps map where associations appear favourable and where results remain unclear, but the abstract does not report the assessments needed to compare confidence across outcomes.
The original publication
Green spaces, blue spaces and human health: an updated umbrella review of epidemiological meta-analyses.
Wang X, Feng B, Wang J
Front Public Health · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40475205
- Record checked
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