IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v16y2019i24p4918-d294405.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Density of Green Spaces and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the City of Madrid: The Heart Healthy Hoods Study

Author

Listed:
  • Elena Plans

    (Public Health and Epidemiology Research Group, School of Medicine, Universidad de Alcala, 28871 Madrid, Spain
    Servicio de Medicina Preventiva y Gestión de Calidad, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Pedro Gullón

    (Public Health and Epidemiology Research Group, School of Medicine, Universidad de Alcala, 28871 Madrid, Spain
    Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Alba Cebrecos

    (Public Health and Epidemiology Research Group, School of Medicine, Universidad de Alcala, 28871 Madrid, Spain)

  • Mario Fontán

    (Public Health and Epidemiology Research Group, School of Medicine, Universidad de Alcala, 28871 Madrid, Spain
    Servicio de Medicina Preventiva, Hospital Universitario Infanta Leonor, 28031 Madrid, Spain)

  • Julia Díez

    (Public Health and Epidemiology Research Group, School of Medicine, Universidad de Alcala, 28871 Madrid, Spain)

  • Mark Nieuwenhuijsen

    (ISGlobal, Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
    Department of Biomedicine, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08002 Barcelona, Spain
    Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain)

  • Manuel Franco

    (Public Health and Epidemiology Research Group, School of Medicine, Universidad de Alcala, 28871 Madrid, Spain
    Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA)

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the density of green spaces at different buffer sizes (300, 500, 1000 and 1500 m) and cardiovascular risk factors (obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes) as well as to study if the relationship is different for males and females. We conducted cross-sectional analyses using the baseline measures of the Heart Healthy Hoods study ( N = 1625). We obtained data on the outcomes from clinical diagnoses, as well as anthropometric and blood sample measures. Exposure data on green spaces density at different buffer sizes were derived from the land cover distribution map of Madrid. Results showed an association between the density of green spaces within 300 and 500 m buffers with high cholesterol and diabetes, and an association between the density of green spaces within 1500 m buffer with hypertension. However, all of these associations were significant only in women. Study results, along with other evidence, may help policy-makers creating healthier environments that could reduce cardiovascular disease burden and reduce gender health inequities. Further research should investigate the specific mechanisms behind the differences by gender and buffer size of the relationship between green spaces and cardiovascular risk factors.

Suggested Citation

  • Elena Plans & Pedro Gullón & Alba Cebrecos & Mario Fontán & Julia Díez & Mark Nieuwenhuijsen & Manuel Franco, 2019. "Density of Green Spaces and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the City of Madrid: The Heart Healthy Hoods Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:24:p:4918-:d:294405
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/24/4918/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/16/24/4918/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Richardson, Elizabeth A. & Mitchell, Richard, 2010. "Gender differences in relationships between urban green space and health in the United Kingdom," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 71(3), pages 568-575, August.
    2. Hye-Jin Kim & Jin-Young Min & Hyun-Jin Kim & Kyoung-Bok Min, 2016. "Parks and Green Areas Are Associated with Decreased Risk for Hyperlipidemia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-11, December.
    3. Kaczynski, A.T. & Potwarka, L.R. & Saelens P, B.E., 2008. "Association of park size, distance, and features with physical activity in neighborhood parks," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 98(8), pages 1451-1456.
    4. Cohen, D.A. & McKenzie, T.L. & Sehgal, A. & Williamson, S. & Golinelli, D. & Lurie, N., 2007. "Contribution of public parks to physical activity," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 97(3), pages 509-514.
    5. Bancroft, Carolyn & Joshi, Spruha & Rundle, Andrew & Hutson, Malo & Chong, Catherine & Weiss, Christopher C. & Genkinger, Jeanine & Neckerman, Kathryn & Lovasi, Gina, 2015. "Association of proximity and density of parks and objectively measured physical activity in the United States: A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 138(C), pages 22-30.
    6. Elisabeth H. Bos & Leon Van der Meulen & Marieke Wichers & Bertus F. Jeronimus, 2016. "A Primrose Path? Moderating Effects of Age and Gender in the Association between Green Space and Mental Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-8, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Haili Zhao & Minghui Wu & Yuhan Du & Fang Zhang & Jialiang Li, 2022. "Relationship between Built-Up Environment, Air Pollution, Activity Frequency and Prevalence of Hypertension—An Empirical Analysis from the Main City of Lanzhou," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-19, December.
    2. Kun Wang & Zhihao Sun & Meng Cai & Lingbo Liu & Hao Wu & Zhenghong Peng, 2022. "Impacts of Urban Blue-Green Space on Residents’ Health: A Bibliometric Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-21, December.
    3. Ursula Pool & Anna Kenyon & Lynn Froggett & Mark Dooris, 2023. "Beside the Seaside: Reflections on Local Green and Blue Spaces from Adults Aged over 50 in a Coastal Community," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(14), pages 1-13, July.
    4. Altaf Engineer & Aletheia Ida & Esther M. Sternberg, 2020. "Healing Spaces: Designing Physical Environments to Optimize Health, Wellbeing, and Performance," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-4, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chaudhury, Habib & Campo, Michael & Michael, Yvonne & Mahmood, Atiya, 2016. "Neighbourhood environment and physical activity in older adults," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 149(C), pages 104-113.
    2. Xiaohu Zhang & Scott Melbourne & Chinmoy Sarkar & Alain Chiaradia & Chris Webster, 2020. "Effects of green space on walking: Does size, shape and density matter?," Urban Studies, Urban Studies Journal Limited, vol. 57(16), pages 3402-3420, December.
    3. Shirelle H. Hallum & Marilyn E. Wende & Farnaz Hesam Shariati & Kelsey M. Thomas & Anna L. Chupak & Eleanor Witherspoon & Andrew T. Kaczynski, 2024. "Unearthing Inequities in the Relationship between Multiple Sociodemographic Factors and Diverse Elements of Park Availability and Quality in a Major Southern Metropolitan Region," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(2), pages 1-19, February.
    4. Mohammad Paydar & Asal Kamani Fard & Verónica Gárate Navarrete, 2023. "Design Characteristics, Visual Qualities, and Walking Behavior in an Urban Park Setting," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-23, September.
    5. Zhou, Min & Tan, Shukui & Tao, Yinghui & Lu, Yongzhong & Zhang, Zuo & Zhang, Lu & Yan, Danping, 2017. "Neighborhood socioeconomics, food environment and land use determinants of public health: Isolating the relative importance for essential policy insights," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 246-253.
    6. Meryem Hayir-Kanat & Jürgen Breuste, 2020. "Outdoor Recreation Participation in Istanbul, Turkey: An Investigation of Frequency, Length, Travel Time and Activities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-23, January.
    7. Myriam Preuß & Mark Nieuwenhuijsen & Sandra Marquez & Marta Cirach & Payam Dadvand & Margarita Triguero-Mas & Christopher Gidlow & Regina Grazuleviciene & Hanneke Kruize & Wilma Zijlema, 2019. "Low Childhood Nature Exposure is Associated with Worse Mental Health in Adulthood," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-18, May.
    8. Asal Kamani Fard & Mohammad Paydar & Verónica Gárate Navarrete, 2023. "Urban Park Design and Pedestrian Mobility—Case Study: Temuco, Chile," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-13, October.
    9. Lincoln R Larson & Viniece Jennings & Scott A Cloutier, 2016. "Public Parks and Wellbeing in Urban Areas of the United States," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(4), pages 1-19, April.
    10. Kinga Kimic & Paulina Polko, 2022. "The Use of Urban Parks by Older Adults in the Context of Perceived Security," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-20, March.
    11. Diana Marina Camargo & Paula Camila Ramírez & Rogério César Fermino, 2017. "Individual and Environmental Correlates to Quality of Life in Park Users in Colombia," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-10, October.
    12. Amy Hillier & Bing Han & Theodore S. Eisenman & Kelly R. Evenson & Thomas L. McKenzie & Deborah A. Cohen, 2016. "Using Systematic Observations to Understand Conditions that Promote Interracial Experiences in Neighbourhood Parks," Urban Planning, Cogitatio Press, vol. 1(4), pages 51-64.
    13. Abigail Mitchell & Kelli L. Larson & Deirdre Pfeiffer & Jose-Benito Rosales Chavez, 2024. "Planning for Urban Sustainability through Residents’ Wellbeing: The Effects of Nature Interactions, Social Capital, and Socio-Demographic Factors," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(10), pages 1-18, May.
    14. Viniece Jennings & Lincoln Larson & Jessica Yun, 2016. "Advancing Sustainability through Urban Green Space: Cultural Ecosystem Services, Equity, and Social Determinants of Health," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-15, February.
    15. Karolina Dudzic-Gyurkovich, 2021. "Urban Development and Population Pressure: The Case of Młynówka Królewska Park in Krakow, Poland," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(3), pages 1-25, January.
    16. Taylor, Ralph B. & Haberman, Cory P. & Groff, Elizabeth R., 2019. "Urban park crime: Neighborhood context and park features," Journal of Criminal Justice, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 1-1.
    17. Judy Y. Ou & Jonathan I. Levy & Junenette L. Peters & Roseann Bongiovanni & Jovanna Garcia-Soto & Rafael Medina & Madeleine K. Scammell, 2016. "A Walk in the Park: The Influence of Urban Parks and Community Violence on Physical Activity in Chelsea, MA," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, January.
    18. Chongxian Chen & Weijing Luo & Haiwei Li & Danting Zhang & Ning Kang & Xiaohao Yang & Yu Xia, 2020. "Impact of Perception of Green Space for Health Promotion on Willingness to Use Parks and Actual Use among Young Urban Residents," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(15), pages 1-21, August.
    19. Bik C. Chow & Thomas L. McKenzie & Cindy H. P. Sit, 2016. "Public Parks in Hong Kong: Characteristics of Physical Activity Areas and Their Users," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-16, June.
    20. Xueli Li & Lee Liu & Zhenguo Zhang & Wenzhong Zhang & Dazhi Liu & Yafen Feng, 2020. "Gender Disparity in Perceived Urban Green Space and Subjective Health and Well-Being in China: Implications for Sustainable Urban Greening," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-12, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:24:p:4918-:d:294405. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.