title: Multiple health benefits of urban tree canopy: The mounting evidence for a green prescription.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to enhance the understanding of the health-promoting potential of trees in an urbanized region of the United States. This was done using high-resolution LiDAR and imagery data to quantify tree cover within 250m of the residence of 7910 adult participants in the California Health Interview Survey, then testing for main and mediating associations between tree cover and multiple health measures. The results indicated that more neighborhood tree cover, independent from green space access, was related to better overall health, primarily mediated by lower overweight/obesity and better social cohesion, and to a lesser extent by less type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, and asthma. These findings suggest an important role for trees and nature in improving holistic population health in urban areas.
authors.affiliation: Urban Design 4 Health, 353 Rockingham St., Rochester, NY 14620, USA. Electronic address: julmer@ud4h.com.
authors.forename: Jared M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Ulmer
authors.affiliation: University of Washington, College of the Environment, Box 352100, Seattle, WA 98195-2100, USA. Electronic address: kwolf@u.washington.edu.
authors.forename: Kathleen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.affiliation: California Department of Health Care Services, P.O. Box 997413, MS 0000, Sacramento, CA 95899-7413, USA. Electronic address: Desiree.Backman@dhcs.ca.gov.
authors.forename: Desiree R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Backman
authors.affiliation: Sacramento Tree Foundation, 191 Lathrop Way Suite D, Sacramento, CA 95815, USA. Electronic address: Ray@sactree.com.
authors.forename: Raymond L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Tretheway
authors.affiliation: California ReLeaf, 2112 Tenth Street, Sacramento, CA 95818, USA. Electronic address: cblain@CaliforniaReLeaf.org.
authors.forename: Cynthia Ja
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Blain
authors.affiliation: University of Vermont, 81 Carrigan Drive, Aiken Center, Room 205E, Burlington, VT 05405, USA. Electronic address: Jarlath.ONeil-Dunne@uvm.edu.
authors.forename: Jarlath Pm
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: O'Neil-Dunne
authors.affiliation: Urban Design 4 Health & University of British Columbia, 235-1933 West Mall, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z2. Electronic address: ldfrank@ud4h.com.
authors.forename: Lawrence D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Frank
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002140:California / Q000453:epidemiology; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012919:Social Behavior; D014197:Trees; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014505:Urban Population
keywords: Built environment; General health; Obesity; Psychosocial; Tree canopy; Urban forest