Two studies published this week offer yet more support to the growing body of research that suggests living near urban parks or other green spaces offers significant mental health benefits. In one study, Danish researchers report that children who grow up in greener surroundings are less likely to develop a mental disorder later in life. In the other study, American researchers suggest that spending just 20 minutes or so in an urban park enhances people’s sense of happiness — whether or not they are exercising while in the park. Green space in childhood For the Danish study , which was published in the Proceedings of the National Association of Sciences (PNAS), researchers analyzed data on almost 1 million Danes born between 1985 and 2003. The data came from the Danish Civil Registration System , which includes, among other information, each person’s place of birth and change of residency. The registry also contains health information. The researchers then used satellite data to ...
