More urban residential green spaces mean smarter, more attentive & less aggressive kids.
(1) So what, who cares?
• Children living in highly polluted urban environments perform poorly in memory, decision-making & IQ tasks, compared to those living in less polluted areas.
• Urban green spaces (e.g. city parks, community gardens, sports fields, forested areas) reduce pollution exposure, promote health & encourage social activities.
• We are rapidly urbanizing - almost 70% of global population will be urbanized by 2050.
• Well-planned cities with residential green spaces will help children develop intellectually & behaviourally.
(2) Study
• In 1992 & between 1996 & 1999, researchers assessed intelligence in 663 children (age range 7–15).
• They combined satellite/GIS data with residential information of participants (children + parents) to map out the degree of urbanization and greenery across the province of East Flanders in Belgium.
(3) Findings
• More urban residential green space is associated with higher intelligence & lower behavioral problems (including attention problems and aggressive behavior) in these children.
• Findings are independent of parents' education, household income & air pollution.
(4) Now what?
Findings will help policy makers and urban planners provide optimal, healthy environments for future generations.
This summary was adapted from the original article: