Study links green spaces to lower diabetes risk

A recent study by Australia's University of Queensland has found that having a home garden may be associated with a lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes, providing fresh evidence of the importance of green spaces in urban planning. 

The study, published in the journal BMC Public Health, found that people with a substantial home garden had a 6.8 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those without a garden, while people living near several parks had a 5.7 percent lower risk. 

Researchers analysed data from more than 19,000 participants in the UK Biobank, assessing the availability of green spaces around their home addresses, including residential gardens and parks within an 800-metre radius. 

Researchers suggested that the association could be linked to increased physical activity and spending more time outdoors, which may provide mental health benefits and improve vitamin D levels. Exposure to natural environments may also improve gut health and strengthen the immune system through exposure to a range of microbes. 

Lead author Chinonso Odebeatu said the findings highlighted the need to give greater priority to public health considerations in urban design, noting that home and community gardens, as well as nearby parks, could play an important role in reducing the risk of diabetes. 

The study called for green spaces to become a key consideration in urban planning, given the potential impact of city design decisions on the health of future generations. 

WAM