A study comparing green space and walkability scores found that, without effective access to local parks, residents of greener neighborhoods don’t reap the health benefits.

Adding to the growing body of research about the built environment and public health, Thor Christensen describes a new study in American Heart Association News.
The study looked at two metrics assessing green space and walkability in neighborhoods to understand the relationship between them. While previous research indicates that people in neighborhoods with more green space tend to have lower heart disease risk, the new study reveals that this only holds true in neighborhoods that also have high walk scores—in other words, where residents can meaningfully access green spaces.
In fact, “When researchers looked simply at green space, they found cardiovascular diseases and risk factors were actually more common in people living in neighborhoods with a high NatureScore, compared with those living in less green neighborhoods.” Areas with the highest NatureScore and high walk scores showed a 9 percent lower chance of cardiovascular disease risk factors.
This leads to a logical conclusion: “To maximize the benefits of green space, people have to interact with nature,” says Dr. Omar Mohamed Makram. According to Dr. Ray Yeager, “There's a general notion that green space is good for health, but there's really not a lot of evidence to understand the many complexities involved between vastly different forms of green spaces, communities and built environments.”
The study underscores the need to cross-analyze metrics such as walk scores to understand the broader context and the reality behind the measure.
FULL STORY: For green spaces to be most beneficial to health, they need to be walkable

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program
Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Canada vs. Kamala: Whose Liberal Housing Platform Comes Out on Top?
As Canada votes for a new Prime Minister, what can America learn from the leading liberal candidate of its neighbor to the north?

Washington State’s Parking Reform Law Could Unlock ‘Countless’ Acres for New Housing
A law that limits how much parking cities can require for residential amd commercial developments could lead to a construction boom.

Wildlife Rebounds After the Eaton Fire
Following the devastation of the Eaton Fire, the return of wildlife and the regrowth of native plants are offering powerful signs of resilience and renewal.

LA to Replace Inglewood Light Rail Project With Bus Shuttles
LA Metro says the change is in response to community engagement and that the new design will be ready before the 2028 Olympic Games.
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