Living in a green area can also reduce biological age. Photo: File
Illinois: An American study has revealed that living in a park or green space not only improves your health, but can also shorten your biological age.
A study published in Science Advances states that prolonged exposure to an urban forest or a quiet place full of trees can shorten biological lifespan by up to two and a half years, which is equivalent to premature puberty.
Keizo Kim of Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine and his colleagues say that living in a green space can slow down the aging process. He has also emphasized on inclusion of green spaces in urban planning. This can have a very positive impact on public health.
An earlier study suggests that living in green spaces can reduce the risk of blood pressure and heart disease. In addition, exercise and social interaction have also been shown to be beneficial to health, but the association of parks with improvements in humans at the cellular and molecular level has not been proven until now.
It is for this reason that scientists have examined the DNA and other molecular details of those living near the greens. Then from 1986 to 2006 (up to 20 years) 900 black and white people who lived in different areas were evaluated.
The greenery near the house of these persons was examined. After that, they were evaluated for heart diseases, cancer, cognitive ability, mental, neurological and psychological conditions. DNA methylation under epigenetics was also used to assess aging at the molecular level.
It was found that people who had 30% green area within a five kilometer radius of their house had a 2.5 years less biological age than others. Similarly, the effects of a one-year reduction on black individuals were noted.
In addition, it has been found that living near trees and plants reduces stress, depression and blood pressure.
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