The association between neighborhood greenness and cardiovascular disease: an observational study

BMC Public Health

Research Article

Hayley Christian¹  Sarah Foster¹  Karen Martin¹  Matthew Knuiman²  Billie Giles-Corti³  Bryan J Boruff⁴  Gavin Pereira⁵ 

[1] Centre for the Built Environment and Health, School of Population Health, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, 6009, Crawley, WA, Australia;Centre for the Built Environment and Health, School of Population Health, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, 6009, Crawley, WA, Australia;School of Population Health, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, 6009, Crawley, WA, Australia;McCaughey VicHealth Centre for the Promotion of Mental Health and Community Wellbeing, Melbourne School of Population Health, The University of Melbourne, 207 Bouverie Street, 3010, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia;School of Earth and Environment, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, 6009, Crawley, WA, Australia;Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Centre for Child Health Research, The University of Western Australia, 100 Roberts Road, 6008, Subiaco, WA, Australia;Centre for the Built Environment and Health, School of Population Health, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, 6009, Crawley, WA, Australia;

关键词: Coronary heart disease;    Stroke;    Cardiovascular disease;    Greenness;    Built environment;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1471-2458-12-466

 received in 2012-02-22, accepted in 2012-06-21,  发布年份 2012

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundPrevious studies have demonstrated links between cardiovascular disease and physical inactivity and poor air quality, which are both associated with neighborhood greenness. However, no studies have directly investigated neighborhood greenness in relation to coronary heart disease risk. We investigated the effect of neighborhood greenness on both self-reported and hospital admissions of coronary heart disease or stroke, accounting for ambient air quality, socio-demographic, behavioral and biological factors.MethodCross-sectional study of 11,404 adults obtained from a population representative sample for the period 2003–2009 in Perth, Western Australia. Neighborhood greenness was ascertained for a 1600 m service area surrounding the residential address using the mean and standard deviation of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) obtained from remote sensing. Logistic regression was used to assess associations with medically diagnosed and hospitalization for coronary heart disease or stroke.ResultsThe odds of hospitalization for heart disease or stroke was 37% (95% CI: 8%, 57%) lower among adults in neighborhoods with highly variable greenness (highest tertile) compared to those in predominantly green, or predominantly non-green neighborhoods (lowest tertile). This effect was independent of the absolute levels of neighborhood greenness. There was weaker evidence for associations with the mean level of neighborhood greenness.ConclusionVariability in neighborhood greenness is a single metric that encapsulates two potential promoters of physical activity - an aesthetically pleasing natural environment and access to urban destinations. Variability in greenness within a neighborhood was negatively associated with coronary heart disease and stroke.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Pereira et al.; licensee Biomed Central Ltd. 2012