The link between green spaces and stronger bones is likely to result from higher levels of physical activity in children who live near parks.
A study published in the journal JAMA Network has found that children with more green space near their homes have significantly stronger bones, potentially leading to lifelong health benefits.
Scientists found that children living in places with 20–25 per cent more natural areas had increased bone strength that was equivalent to half a year’s natural growth. The study, the first of its kind, also found that the risk of having very low bone density was about 65 per cent lower for these children.
Bone strength grows in childhood and adolescence, before plateauing until about the age of 50, and then declining. Increasing the size and accessibility of green spaces for children could therefore prevent fractures and osteoporosis in older people, the researchers said.
The link between green spaces and stronger bones is likely to result from higher levels of physical activity in children who live near parks, as this spurs bone growth. “The stronger the bone mass is during childhood, the more capacity you have for later in life,” said Prof. Tim Nawrot, at Hasselt University in Belgium, who was part of the study team.
Previous studies have also discovered that access to green spaces has multiple benefits for child development, including a lower risk of being overweight, lower blood pressure, higher IQs, and better mental health and emotional wellbeing.