Introduction:
As the global population increasingly moves to urban areas, urban green spaces will become crucial and easily accessible sources of nature. These spaces, also known as greenness or green infrastructure, encompass parks, forests, street trees, gardens, and various other forms of vegetation. Several systematic reviews have highlighted positive connections between green spaces and specific health benefits, including mental and cardiovascular health.
Physical activity and overall well-being. Numerous mechanisms through which green spaces or biodiversity could impact health, such as reducing harm, restoring capacities, building capacities, and causing harm, are relevant for respiratory health, particularly in reducing harm from air pollution.
What Are Green Spaces?
Urban green space, often characterized by vegetation and natural elements, has garnered increased attention in research due to its demonstrated positive impact on human well-being.
The global demand for increased urban green space is a top priority on cities' policy agendas worldwide. Urban green space (UGS), defined as urban land adorned with trees, grass, shrubs, or other vegetation, encompasses various features such as community gardens, parks, cemeteries, vertical gardens, rooftop gardens, woods, and meadows.
Urban water elements like ditches, canals, inland waterways, rivers, and riverbanks are also considered part of UGS, and sometimes the blue-green zones. UGS serves multiple purposes, including reducing the risk of flooding, promoting biodiversity, and mitigating urban heat island effects. Moreover, UGS significantly enhances the well-being of cities and their inhabitants, fosters better health outcomes, and promotes social cohesion.
Various disciplines emphasize this term, including health sciences, urban design, ecology, and social sciences. To advance greenspace research effectively, it is essential to consider multiple components, such as social and ecological aspects, due to the intricate way they interact, particularly in urban settings facing pressures from urbanization. This can be achieved through multidisciplinary investigations that integrate various disciplines and take a multi-scale approach.
What Is the Impact of the Environment on Lung Health?
Lung diseases or chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) have emerged as a significant global cause of mortality, with disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) attributed to CRDs showing a substantial increase over many years. Common CRDs include allergic rhinitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung cancer, asthma, non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis (NCFBE), cystic fibrosis, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, which collectively contribute to CRD-related incidence and mortality globally. The incidence of CRDs is on the rise globally, posing significant health threats and imposing substantial financial burdens.
CRDs stem from various factors, including exposure to indoor and outdoor environmental elements, genetic predisposition, and sociodemographic factors; associated with CRDs include outdoor air pollutants, urban heat islands, biodiversity loss, noise pollutants, indoor mold and humidity, tobacco smoke, renovation activities, and household pets. As urbanization expands worldwide, more individuals are exposed to environmental hazards associated with urban settings. Several studies have suggested that green spaces can positively impact lung health by purifying air, mitigating the heat island effect, enhancing microbial diversity, and promoting physical activity.
How Do Green Spaces Improve Lung Health?
Numerous studies have demonstrated the beneficial effects of green spaces in preventing and treating chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, COPD, and lung cancer. Several reviews and analyses have explored the relationship between greenness and various CRDs. While some studies have shown a significant reduction in asthma and rhinitis associated with high-level residential greenness, others found an increase in the odds of these conditions with greater greenness coverage. Despite the growing evidence linking green exposures to CRDs, research has mainly focused on specific age groups. Such as children and adolescents, who lack horizontal comparisons across different age groups.
Different buffer zones and indicators, such as the normalized difference vegetation index, have been used to assess greenness exposure. These buffer zones indicate various ways greenness may affect health, from immediate neighborhood greenness suitable for physical activity to larger areas suitable for recreational purposes. Studies have shown differing correlations between greenness exposure in buffer zones and CRD risk. While some found stronger associations between asthma and school greenness in larger buffers, others observed higher relative prevalences of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and asthma in surrounding greenness.
What Are the Benefits and Limitations of Green Spaces for Lung Health?
Green spaces offer various benefits for lung health but also have some limitations.
Benefits:
1. Air Quality Improvement: Trees and plants in green spaces help absorb pollutants such as carbon dioxide, ozone, and particulate matter, improving air quality and reducing the risk of respiratory issues.
2. Reduced Heat Island Effect: Green spaces mitigate the urban heat island effect by providing shade and cooling the surrounding environment. This can help prevent heat-related respiratory problems, especially during heatwaves.
3. Enhanced Physical Activity: Access to green spaces encourages physical activity such as walking, jogging, and cycling, which promotes cardiovascular health and strengthens respiratory muscles.
4. Stress Reduction: Spending time in green spaces has been linked to reduced stress levels and improved mental well-being, indirectly benefiting lung health by lowering the risk of stress-related respiratory conditions.
Limitations:
1. Allergens: Green spaces can harbor pollen, mold spores, and other allergens, which may exacerbate allergies and respiratory conditions such as asthma and allergic rhinitis in susceptible individuals.
2. Air Pollution: While green spaces can help mitigate air pollution, they may also be sources of pollutants such as pollen and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from certain plants and trees, especially in densely vegetated areas.
3. Pesticides and Chemicals: Pesticides and chemicals used in green spaces for maintenance can pose respiratory health risks if inhaled or absorbed through the skin.
4. Vector-Borne Diseases: Standing water in green spaces like ponds and marshes can serve as breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other vectors, increasing the risk of vector-borne diseases such as West Nile and Zika, and affecting respiratory health.
Conclusion:
Green spaces promote lung health by improving air quality, reducing stress, encouraging physical activity, and reducing air pollution. Urban green spaces profoundly impact communities, enhancing mental and physical well-being, promoting biodiversity, and improving air quality. Their presence fosters social cohesion, encourages physical activity, and provides vital ecosystem services, making them indispensable components of sustainable urban planning and development.
