title: The influence of proximity to city parks on blood pressure in early pregnancy.
abstract: This study investigated the effect of proximity to city parks on blood pressure categories during the first trimester of pregnancy. This cross-sectional study included 3,416 female residents of the city of Kaunas, Lithuania, who were enrolled in the FP7 PHENOTYPE project study. The women were classified into four blood pressure categories: optimal, normal, high-normal blood pressure, and hypertension. Multinomial regression models were used to investigate the association between three women's groups with respect to the residence distances from city parks (300, >300-1,000, and >1,000 m) and four blood pressure categories. When using the optimal blood pressure as the reference group, the crude and adjusted odds ratios (OR) for normal blood pressure and for high-normal blood pressure proved to be statistically significantly higher after the inclusion of the selected covariates into the regression analysis. The probability of normal blood pressure increased by 9%, and that of high-normal blood pressure-by 14% for every 300 m increase in the distance to green spaces. The findings of this study suggest a beneficial impact of nearby city parks on blood pressure amongst 20- to 45-year-old women. This relationship has important implications for the prevention of hypertension and the reduction of hypertension-related morbidity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science, Vytautas Magnus University, K. Donelaicio G. 58, Kaunas, LT-44248, Lithuania. r.grazuleviciene@gmf.vdu.lt.
authors.forename: Regina
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grazuleviciene
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science, Vytautas Magnus University, K. Donelaicio G. 58, Kaunas, LT-44248, Lithuania. a.dedele@gmf.vdu.lt.
authors.forename: Audrius
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dedele
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science, Vytautas Magnus University, K. Donelaicio G. 58, Kaunas, LT-44248, Lithuania. a.danileviciute@gmf.vdu.lt.
authors.forename: Asta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Danileviciute
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science, Vytautas Magnus University, K. Donelaicio G. 58, Kaunas, LT-44248, Lithuania. j.vencloviene@gmf.vdu.lt.
authors.forename: Jone
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vencloviene
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science, Vytautas Magnus University, K. Donelaicio G. 58, Kaunas, LT-44248, Lithuania. t.grazulevicius@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Grazulevicius
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science, Vytautas Magnus University, K. Donelaicio G. 58, Kaunas, LT-44248, Lithuania. s.andrusaityte@gmf.vdu.lt.
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Andrusaityte
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Science, Vytautas Magnus University, K. Donelaicio G. 58, Kaunas, LT-44248, Lithuania. i.uzdanaviciute@gmf.vdu.lt.
authors.forename: Inga
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Uzdanaviciute
authors.affiliation: Centre for Research in Environmental Epidemiology (CREAL), Doctor Aiguader 88, Barcelona 08003, Spain. mnieuwenhuijsen@creal.cat.
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Nieuwenhuijsen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008097:Lithuania / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D019368:Nature; D011247:Pregnancy; D011633:Public Facilities; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012307:Risk Factors; D055815:Young Adult