IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jlands/v14y2025i6p1128-d1661530.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Greenery Effects: Comparing the Associations Between Multi-Dimensional Measurements of Urban Green Space Greenery and Engagement in Health-Related Activities Across Age Groups

Author

Listed:
  • Chongxiao Wang

    (College of Landscape Architecture, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China)

  • Shuolei Chen

    (College of Landscape Architecture, Nanjing Forestry University, Nanjing 210037, China)

  • Yang Chen

    (School of Architecture and Design, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China
    Key Laboratory of Cold Region Urban and Rural Human Settlement Environment Science and Technology, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Harbin 150001, China)

  • Zhongzhe Shen

    (College of Environment and Design, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA)

Abstract

With the progression of global urbanization, UGS greenery plays an increasingly important role in encouraging engagement in various health-related activities among sedentary residents, and its quality improvement is widely recognized as a promising strategy for achieving public health benefits. However, existing studies have not reached an agreement on the associations between UGS greenery and engagement in health-related activities, largely due to limited dimensions of greenery measurement and insufficient evidence on health-related activities. To address these gaps, this study proposes a holistic analytical framework that integrates multi-dimensional greenery measurements (measured by the NDVI, GVI, and LVV metrics) with systematic observations of engagement in physical activity and social interaction across the general population, children, and seniors, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of their varied associations. Conducting empirical research in the Xuanwu Lake Scenic Area, the results showed that (1) UGS greenery had stronger explanatory power for activity participant numbers than activity intensity across age groups; (2) top–down greenery (NDVI) was positively associated with engagement in health-related activities (although not statistically significant), while excessive eye-level (GVI) and spatial greenery (LVV) demonstrated negative effects; (3) UGS greenery alone did not sufficiently predict children’s engagement in health-related activities; and (4) greenery conditions in adjacent UGS samples also significantly impacted local health-related activities. These findings suggest that UGS greenery measured from a single dimension may not reliably predict engagement in health-related activities across age groups, thereby calling for balanced and context-sensitive greenery design in future UGS planning to support inclusive public health.

Suggested Citation

  • Chongxiao Wang & Shuolei Chen & Yang Chen & Zhongzhe Shen, 2025. "Greenery Effects: Comparing the Associations Between Multi-Dimensional Measurements of Urban Green Space Greenery and Engagement in Health-Related Activities Across Age Groups," Land, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-18, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:6:p:1128-:d:1661530
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/6/1128/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2073-445X/14/6/1128/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mireia Gascon & Margarita Triguero-Mas & David Martínez & Payam Dadvand & Joan Forns & Antoni Plasència & Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen, 2015. "Mental Health Benefits of Long-Term Exposure to Residential Green and Blue Spaces: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-26, April.
    2. Xiaojiang Li, 2021. "Examining the spatial distribution and temporal change of the green view index in New York City using Google Street View images and deep learning," Environment and Planning B, , vol. 48(7), pages 2039-2054, September.
    3. Ugolini, Francesca & Massetti, Luciano & Pearlmutter, David & Sanesi, Giovanni, 2021. "Usage of urban green space and related feelings of deprivation during the COVID-19 lockdown: Lessons learned from an Italian case study," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 105(C).
    4. Viniece Jennings & Omoshalewa Bamkole, 2019. "The Relationship between Social Cohesion and Urban Green Space: An Avenue for Health Promotion," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-14, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Jordi Honey-Rosés & Oscar Zapata, 2023. "Green Spaces with Fewer People Improve Self-Reported Affective Experience and Mood," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-10, January.
    2. David B. Olawade & Melissa McLaughlin & Yinka Julianah Adeniji & Gabriel Osasumwen Egbon & Arghavan Rahimi & Stergios Boussios, 2025. "Urban Microclimates and Their Relationship with Social Isolation: A Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 22(6), pages 1-32, June.
    3. Argyro Anna Kanelli & Margarita Kokkinaki & Marios-Dimitrios Sinvare & Chrisovalantis Malesios & Panayiotis G. Dimitrakopoulos & Olga-Ioanna Kalantzi, 2023. "Keep Calm and Go Out: Urban Nature Exposure, Mental Health, and Perceived Value during the COVID-19 Lockdown," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-20, May.
    4. Carolina Mayen Huerta, 2023. "Understanding the pathways between the use of urban green spaces and self-rated health: A case study in Mexico City," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(12), pages 1-20, December.
    5. Zhengkai Zhang & Hanjiang Zhang & Huan Yang & Bingzhi Zhong, 2023. "Home Greenery: Alleviating Anxiety during Lockdowns with Varied Landscape Preferences," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(21), pages 1-14, October.
    6. Argyro Anna Kanelli & Maria Lydia Vardaka & Chrisovaladis Malesios & Zainab Jamidu Katima & Olga-Ioanna Kalantzi, 2024. "Can Campus Green Spaces Be Restorative? A Case Study from Tanzania," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-21, January.
    7. Peter A. Coventry & Chris Neale & Alison Dyke & Rachel Pateman & Steve Cinderby, 2019. "The Mental Health Benefits of Purposeful Activities in Public Green Spaces in Urban and Semi-Urban Neighbourhoods: A Mixed-Methods Pilot and Proof of Concept Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-16, July.
    8. Paudel, Uttam & Pant, Krishna Prasad, 2023. "Understanding vitality of public space: A review with an example of capital city Kathmandu in Nepal," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    9. Chenying Li & Tiantian Zhang & Xi Wang & Zefeng Lian, 2022. "Site Selection of Urban Parks Based on Fuzzy-Analytic Hierarchy Process (F-AHP): A Case Study of Nanjing, China," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(20), pages 1-27, October.
    10. Kirsti S. Anthun & Ruca Elisa Katrin Maass & Siren Hope & Geir Arild Espnes & Ruth Bell & Matluba Khan & Monica Lillefjell, 2019. "Addressing Inequity: Evaluation of an Intervention to Improve Accessibility and Quality of a Green Space," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-16, December.
    11. Siruo Qu & Hongyi Li & Jing Wu & Bing Zhao, 2025. "Environmental and Health Benefits: A Bibliometric and Knowledge Mapping Analysis of Research Progress," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-29, March.
    12. Qiang Wen & Haiqiang Liu & Jinyuan Chen & Huiyao Ye & Zeyu Pan, 2023. "Evaluation of Satisfaction with the Built Environment of University Buildings under the Epidemic and Its Impact on Student Anxiety," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(5), pages 1-23, February.
    13. Busch, Christin & Specht, Kathrin & Inostroza, Luis & Falke, Matthias & Zepp, Harald, 2024. "Disentangling cultural ecosystem services co-production in urban green spaces through social media reviews," Ecosystem Services, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    14. Hyun Jin Lee & Dong Kun Lee, 2019. "Do Sociodemographic Factors and Urban Green Space Affect Mental Health Outcomes Among the Urban Elderly Population?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-13, March.
    15. Shi Chen & Yi Sun & Bo Kyong Seo, 2022. "The Effects of Public Open Space on Older People’s Well-Being: From Neighborhood Social Cohesion to Place Dependence," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-16, December.
    16. Alhassan A. S & LeBrasseur R., 2024. "Urban Green Space as A Climate Change Adaptation Strategy in The Tamale Metropolis, Ghana," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 8(3), pages 2552-2573, March.
    17. Susanne Boers & Karin Hagoort & Floortje Scheepers & Marco Helbich, 2018. "Does Residential Green and Blue Space Promote Recovery in Psychotic Disorders? A Cross-Sectional Study in the Province of Utrecht, The Netherlands," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-8, October.
    18. Phi-Yen Nguyen & Thomas Astell-Burt & Hania Rahimi-Ardabili & Xiaoqi Feng, 2021. "Green Space Quality and Health: A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(21), pages 1-38, October.
    19. Chen Zhang & Nan Zhang & Peijuan Zhu & Shuqian Qin & Yong Zhang, 2024. "The Evolution and Driving Mechanisms of the Blue-Green Space Publicness Pattern in Changsha, China," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-20, March.
    20. Mare Lõhmus & Cecilia U. D. Stenfors & Tomas Lind & André Lauber & Antonios Georgelis, 2021. "Mental Health, Greenness, and Nature Related Behaviors in the Adult Population of Stockholm County during COVID-19-Related Restrictions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-21, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:14:y:2025:i:6:p:1128-:d:1661530. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.