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Green spaces found to increase birth weight

Date:
July 28, 2014
Source:
American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
Summary:
Mothers who live near green spaces deliver babies with significantly higher birth weights, according to a new study.
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Mothers who live near green spaces deliver babies with significantly higher birth weights, according to a new study, "Green Spaces and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes" published in the journal, Occupational and Environmental Medicine.

A team of researchers from Israel and Spain, including Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), evaluated nearly 40,000 single live births from a registry birth cohort in Tel Aviv, Israel to determine the impact of green surroundings during pregnancy and birth outcomes.

"We found that that overall, an increase of surrounding greenery near the home was associated with a significant increase of birth weight and decreased risk for low birth weight," says Prof. Michael Friger, of BGU's Department of Public Health. "This was the first study outside of the United States and Europe demonstrating associations between greenery and birth weight, as well as the first to report the association with low birth weight."

An analysis of neighborhood socioeconomics also revealed that the lowest birth weight occurred in the most economically deprived areas with lack of access to green spaces. Green spaces -- parks, community gardens or even cemeteries -- were defined as land that is partly or completely covered with grass, trees, shrubs, or other vegetation.

"The application of remote sensing data on surrounding green areas enabled our study to take small-scale green spaces (eg, street trees and green verges) into account, while the OpenStreetMap data determined the major green spaces," Friger explains.


Story Source:

Materials provided by American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. K. Agay-Shay, A. Peled, A. V. Crespo, C. Peretz, Y. Amitai, S. Linn, M. Friger, M. J. Nieuwenhuijsen. Green spaces and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 2014; 71 (8): 562 DOI: 10.1136/oemed-2013-101961

Cite This Page:

American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. "Green spaces found to increase birth weight." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 28 July 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140728130956.htm>.
American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. (2014, July 28). Green spaces found to increase birth weight. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 18, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140728130956.htm
American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. "Green spaces found to increase birth weight." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/07/140728130956.htm (accessed March 18, 2024).

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