Greenspace and Health

Hazel Ainsworth

Delivery Lead, Health & Environment

Greenspace and Health

The scale of the problemThe scale of the problem

Preventative public health carePreventative public health care

EvidenceEvidence

Case studyCase study

The Economic Burden of Obesity

• Estimates of indirect costs (those arising from the impact of obesity on the wider economy such as loss of productivity) from the studies ranged between £2.6 billion and £15.8 billion

• Modelled projections suggest that indirect costs could be as much as £27 billion by 2015

(National Obesity Observatory (NOO), October 2010)

The Cost of Physical Inactivity

Physical inactivity costs the NHS between £1 billion - £1.8 billion each year. The costs of lost productivity to the wider economy have been estimated to be £5.5 billion from sickness absence and £1 billion from premature death of people of working age.

Taken together, these costs may total £8.3 billionBe Active, Be Healthy, A Plan for getting the Nation moving, February 2009

Changes to the NHS

Equity & Excellence: Liberating the NHS(12th July 2010)

• LAs to promote the joining up of local NHS services, social care and health improvement”

• PCT responsibilities for local health improvement will transfer to LAs

• DoH via Public Health Service “will set local authorities national objectives for improving population health outcomes”

Health Lives, Healthy People (30th Nov 2011)

• New PH system with dedicated budget

• Recognition that our environment has an effect on our health

• LAs best placed to influence wider determinants of health

New NHS Structure

Transition timetable

Development of health and wellbeing boards

132 early implementers announced 16/03/11http://healthandcare.dh.gov.uk/early-implementers-of-health-and-wellbeing-

boards-announced/

Physical Activity

Reducing Health Inequalities

Marmot Review 2010: “Create and develop healthy and sustainable places and communities”

• People living closer to green space have lower death rates and less heart disease.

• Amongst lower income groups, 1,300 extra deaths occurred each year in areas where the provision of green space was poor.

(University of Glasgow, 2008)

Social Cohesion

• Robert Taylor Homes, Chicago• 28 identical high-rise homes along a 3-mile corridor• Some with nearby vegetation, others without• Residents randomly assigned to apartments

Tackling Obesity

• People living closer to green spaces were more physically active and were less likely to be overweight or obese

• These trends were apparently independent of peoples’ income or social group

• The most significant findings showed that people who lived furthest from public parks were 27% more likely to be overweight or obese

(Original research by Melvyn Hillsdon1, Andy Jones2 and Emma Coombes2  for Natural England, 2009)1Department Exercise and Health Sciences, University of Bristol

2School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia

Health Benefits of Physical Activity

Physical activity Physical activity positively contributes positively contributes to the prevention and to the prevention and management of over management of over 20 chronic diseases 20 chronic diseases

and conditions and conditions including coronary including coronary

heart disease (CHD), heart disease (CHD), diabetes, cancer, diabetes, cancer,

and obesity.and obesity.

Increased physical activity

• Being within access to greenspace can increase levels of physical activity

(Am. J. Public Health, 2003)

• Greater opportunities for exercise provided by close proximity to a park reduces weight gain in teenagers by five kilograms over a two year period.

(Am. J. Public Health, 2008)

Ecotherapy:The Green Agenda for Mental Health

The role the environment plays on the effectiveness of exercise for mental wellbeing

Greenspace and Health Costs

If every household in England were provided with good access to quality

green space it could save an estimated £2.1 billion in healthcare

costs

Our Natural Health Service – The role of the natural environment in maintaining healthy lives

Natural England (2009)

Benefits of Green Infrastructure

Good quality, accessible green space and infrastructure can provide many potential health and wellbeing benefits. The most significant of these can be grouped into three broad categories:

• increased life expectancy and reduced health inequality• improvements in levels of physical activity and health• promotion of psychological health and mental well-being

(Forest Research, 2010)

Overview of Evidence

Indirect benefits Direct benefits

Reducing health inequalities Moderating impact from extreme weather

Improving mental health Shelter from UV, noise, wind

Improving physical activity Carbon sequestration

Reducing obesity Improved water and air quality

Enhancing social cohesion Food

The natural environment can help with the major health problems facing society

Case Study

Mansfield District Council

Using greenspace to deliver health benefits