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Green Space Is Associated With Something Extraordinary — Kids’ Bone Strength
Strong bones get an early start in life when kids live near green spaces, and it gets even better than that.
Green space is receiving more attention for its environmental benefits, how it nourishes the land, its insects, and the entire biosphere on which we depend. But other aspects of green space have been passed by and now we’re beginning to tap into additional and essential aspects of it in terms of physical health even before birth.
Studies have found that having more green space during pregnancy is linked to higher birth weight and a lower risk of low birth weight (LBW). Also, having more green space as a child was linked to more physical activity and a lower risk of obesity and neurodevelopmental problems such as not paying attention.
A study of kids ages 4 to 6 found that children who spent more time in residential green spaces had higher bone mineral density and a lower risk of having low bone density. These results show how important it is to be exposed to residential green spaces early in life for bone health during important times of growth and development, which can have long-lasting effects. But how does green space contribute to this change? Fractures appear to be a common occurrence in children. How might the two be related?
