Heart diseases cause the most deaths all over the world. Having health problems like high blood pressure and obesity, together known as metabolic syndrome, makes it more likely to get heart disease.
The way to avoid metabolic syndrome is by staying active and making healthy choices.
But what if our surroundings could also help us stay healthy?
Neighborhoods and Heart Health: A New Study
A team of researchers from Japan and Canada decided to explore this. They were led by Mohammad Javad Koohsari from the Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology and the Waseda University.
Their research, published in the Humanities and Social Sciences Communications journal, aimed to see if there’s a link between active-friendly environments and metabolic syndrome.
Dr. Koohsari said, “Studies like ours are important because they help us make better policies and strategies to prevent heart diseases.” Several other experts from different universities also took part in this study.
How the Study Was Done
The research team looked at data from a large study in Alberta, Canada.
They chose people who lived in city areas, had taken part in a health and lifestyle survey, and provided biological samples. In total, they included 6,718 people in their study.
The team looked at each person’s neighborhood and checked how green it was.
They also looked at how many homes were in the neighborhood, how many crossroads it had, and how many places like parks and shops were there.
What the Study Found
The study found that people living in neighborhoods with more places to go and a more active lifestyle had fewer risk factors for metabolic syndrome.
In simpler terms, living in a place where you could walk more and do more physical activities was good for your health.
The team also found that areas with more houses had fewer health risks. This could be because having more houses meant having more places to go without needing a car.
When people can walk or cycle to get to places, they are more likely to stay active and healthy.
The study also found that women tended to live in greener areas than men. But the greenness of an area or the number of crossroads didn’t seem to affect the chances of getting metabolic syndrome.
What This Means for Us
The results of this study support the idea that living in an active-friendly environment can help avoid metabolic syndrome.
Dr. Koohsari concluded, “This study shows that we should design neighborhoods that encourage physical activity to improve the health of the people living there.”
The study also showed the need for more research on the role of green spaces in our neighborhoods.
It also pointed out that we need to be careful about applying the results of studies from other places because different places have different climates, politics, healthcare systems, and cultures.
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The study was published in Humanities and Social Sciences Communications.
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