Do Exposures to Green Space Reduce the Risk of Hypertension?

Abstract

Background: Few epidemiological research examined the effects of greenness on cardiovascular diseases in developing countries. We aimed to explore the relationships between green space and hypertension and blood pressure in China.Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 39, 259 adults from five counties in central China. Blood pressure measurements were performed according to a standardized protocol. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and enhanced vegetation index (EVI) was used to assess the exposure to greenness. We used mixed linear models to test greenspace-cardiovascular disease outcome pathways.Results: Higher green space was related to decreased hypertension prevalence and blood pressure. After fully adjusting the covariates, each interquartile range increase in NDVI500m and EVI500m were related to an 8% decrease in odds of hypertension. The changes in SBP and DBP (95% CI) were - 0.88 mm Hg (- 1.17, - 0.58) and - 0.64 mm Hg (- 0.82, - 0.46) for NDVI, and - 0.79 mm Hg (- 1.14, - 0.45) and - 0.67 mm Hg (- 0.87, - 0.46) for EVI, respectively. Subgroup analyses showed that the effects of green space were more pronounced in males, smokers, and drinkers.Conclusions: The effects of green space may reduce the risk of hypertension. Also, behavioral factors may affect this potential pathway.