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Density of Green Spaces and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the City of Madrid: The Heart Healthy Hoods Study

Author

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  • Elena Plans

    (Public Health and Epidemiology Research Group, School of Medicine, Universidad de Alcala, 28871 Madrid, Spain
    Servicio de Medicina Preventiva y Gestión de Calidad, Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, 28007 Madrid, Spain
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Pedro Gullón

    (Public Health and Epidemiology Research Group, School of Medicine, Universidad de Alcala, 28871 Madrid, Spain
    Urban Health Collaborative, Drexel Dornsife School of Public Health, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Alba Cebrecos

    (Public Health and Epidemiology Research Group, School of Medicine, Universidad de Alcala, 28871 Madrid, Spain)

  • Mario Fontán

    (Public Health and Epidemiology Research Group, School of Medicine, Universidad de Alcala, 28871 Madrid, Spain
    Servicio de Medicina Preventiva, Hospital Universitario Infanta Leonor, 28031 Madrid, Spain)

  • Julia Díez

    (Public Health and Epidemiology Research Group, School of Medicine, Universidad de Alcala, 28871 Madrid, Spain)

  • Mark Nieuwenhuijsen

    (ISGlobal, Center for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), 08036 Barcelona, Spain
    Department of Biomedicine, Universitat Pompeu Fabra (UPF), 08002 Barcelona, Spain
    Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), 28029 Madrid, Spain)

  • Manuel Franco

    (Public Health and Epidemiology Research Group, School of Medicine, Universidad de Alcala, 28871 Madrid, Spain
    Department of Epidemiology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA)

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate the relationship between the density of green spaces at different buffer sizes (300, 500, 1000 and 1500 m) and cardiovascular risk factors (obesity, hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes) as well as to study if the relationship is different for males and females. We conducted cross-sectional analyses using the baseline measures of the Heart Healthy Hoods study ( N = 1625). We obtained data on the outcomes from clinical diagnoses, as well as anthropometric and blood sample measures. Exposure data on green spaces density at different buffer sizes were derived from the land cover distribution map of Madrid. Results showed an association between the density of green spaces within 300 and 500 m buffers with high cholesterol and diabetes, and an association between the density of green spaces within 1500 m buffer with hypertension. However, all of these associations were significant only in women. Study results, along with other evidence, may help policy-makers creating healthier environments that could reduce cardiovascular disease burden and reduce gender health inequities. Further research should investigate the specific mechanisms behind the differences by gender and buffer size of the relationship between green spaces and cardiovascular risk factors.

Suggested Citation

  • Elena Plans & Pedro Gullón & Alba Cebrecos & Mario Fontán & Julia Díez & Mark Nieuwenhuijsen & Manuel Franco, 2019. "Density of Green Spaces and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the City of Madrid: The Heart Healthy Hoods Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:16:y:2019:i:24:p:4918-:d:294405
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Haili Zhao & Minghui Wu & Yuhan Du & Fang Zhang & Jialiang Li, 2022. "Relationship between Built-Up Environment, Air Pollution, Activity Frequency and Prevalence of Hypertension—An Empirical Analysis from the Main City of Lanzhou," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(1), pages 1-19, December.
    2. Ursula Pool & Anna Kenyon & Lynn Froggett & Mark Dooris, 2023. "Beside the Seaside: Reflections on Local Green and Blue Spaces from Adults Aged over 50 in a Coastal Community," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(14), pages 1-13, July.
    3. Altaf Engineer & Aletheia Ida & Esther M. Sternberg, 2020. "Healing Spaces: Designing Physical Environments to Optimize Health, Wellbeing, and Performance," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-4, February.
    4. Kun Wang & Zhihao Sun & Meng Cai & Lingbo Liu & Hao Wu & Zhenghong Peng, 2022. "Impacts of Urban Blue-Green Space on Residents’ Health: A Bibliometric Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-21, December.

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