Study Links Green Spaces to Better Mental Health and Cognition in Kids

A girl on a swing in the playground at Brands Park in Chicago, Ill., on May 10, 2023. Scott Olson/Getty Images

A recent study showed how physical environmental factors such as urban density and the amount of natural green surrounding a child can impact their mental health as well as cognition and brain function.

The study results, published by Georgia State University on Nov. 12, used satellite and brain imaging, studying 11,800 children across 21 U.S. cities to understand how specific environments impact the brains of young people, also known as Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD).

The study, “Urban-Satellite Estimates in the ABCD Study: Linking Neuroimaging and Mental Health to Satellite Imagery Measurements of Macro Environmental Factors,” was funded by the National Institutes of Health. Vince Calhoun, a Georgia State University Professor of Psychology, served as the senior author and principal investigator.

Calhoun linked fMRI imaging with satellite data from participants’ locations, researching the impact of the locations of 9- and 10-year-old children on their brains.

The study found that areas with more forested land had fewer cognitive issues, while urbanized areas, particularly those with high levels of built-up surfaces (measured by metrics like the Normalized Difference Built-up Index), were linked to worse cognitive function. The findings suggest that exposure to green spaces can benefit cognitive health, whereas living in densely populated urban areas may contribute to cognitive decline.

“The findings highlight the importance of the urban environment in mental health. We see a critical window during childhood and adolescence where environmental factors can shape future cognitive and behavioral development,” Calhoun said.

The study looked at how land is used to determine an area’s social and economic state, taking into account things like light pollution and the number of buildings.

Researchers discovered that places with more buildings and more light at night were more likely to have lower levels of family education and household income. On the other hand, places with more trees and plants were more likely to have higher levels of education and household income.

Greenspace and Mental Resilience

The study highlights the significance of urban green spaces, particularly for their ability to enhance mental health. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and similar measures show that urban vegetation plays an important effect, with more exposure to greenspace being associated with improved cognitive resilience.

Researchers concluded that one way to mitigate the negative effects of city life on people’s mental health is to include parks and other green spaces in urban design.

Using these results as a foundation, future studies will investigate how air pollution, lack of green space, and urban heat affect people’s mental health over the long run.

Their goal is to use this and other study data to determine when people are most susceptible to and most able to withstand environmental, social, and economic stresses, as well as the interplay between these factors and genetics.

The study’s findings support the idea that urban development plans should prioritize greenspace integration, opening up the possibility that policymakers may tackle both public health and quality-of-life issues by establishing environments that support mental wellness.

The findings support the idea of creating kid-friendly greenspaces by highlighting the significance of natural settings in promoting appropriate emotional and cognitive development.

Fellow author and New Light Technologies chief scientist Ran Goldblatt weighed in on the results saying, “The ABCD dataset provides a unique opportunity for a much deeper understanding of associations between a range of indicators of the complex physical urban environment and their impacts on mental health.

“This dataset also allows us to observe dynamic environmental changes and their impact on mental health over time, pinpointing specific interventions to boost mental well-being in various communities.”