By Umayangga Yogalingam (Co-Executive Director, The Young Canadians Roundtable on Health)
Restrictions under the COVID-19 pandemic are forcing more and more Canadians to discover the public green spaces in their neighbourhoods, cities and beyond. Green spaces are areas with vegetation that is specifically for aesthetic and/or recreational purposes and include parks, gardens, public facilities, and ecological reserves. Green spaces can offer a sense of respite from the newfound stressors associated with school and community centre closures, social isolation and the tedium of being stuck at home, mitigating the pandemic’s negative impact on health and quality of life. For children especially, green spaces can be a blessing as it is a space to engage in physical activity and access learning related to nature and the environment, all while maintaining physical distancing.
The link between green spaces and positive health has been well-established. Increased access to green spaces has been associated with decreased risk of death from common illnesses such as heart diseases, diabetes, and respiratory illnesses, according to a national cohort study in The Lancet. The pathways through which green spaces impact children’s health are numerous. Green spaces enhance physical activity which is a protective factor against the development of illnesses in childhood such as obesity, diabetes and cancer. In urban settings, green spaces can mitigate air pollution, noise and heat, all of which can lead to adverse, long-term health consequences especially during fetal growth and childhood. Green spaces can also improve immunological functioning due to exposure to beneficial microbiota.
A review in the Journal of Pediatric Nursing has highlighted a body of research that shows how green spaces can positively impact mental health, reduce behavioural problems and improve academic performance within children. Specifically, it can lead to improved mental well-being, positive behaviours, improved attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, and better standardized test scores. It can also protect against high stress levels, depression, and mood disorders via increased physical activity, increased social contact and the change in environment that green spaces provide.
However, not all those who live in Canada are able to reap the benefits of high-quality green spaces. According to Statistics Canada’s 2017 Households and Environment Survey, Canadian households (85%) indicated that there is a park ten-minutes away from their home. However, there are many factors that impact access to these green spaces including walkability, availability of play facilities, perceived safety, and aesthetics. Several studies have shown that individuals and families with higher income and higher education levels are more likely to have greater access to high-quality green spaces. As such, wealthier neighbourhoods are more likely to benefit from green spaces in comparison to underserved neighbourhoods.
Inequities in access to green spaces have been reinforced during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic saw the closure or the restricted use of green spaces, namely parks and play facilities, in Canada. For many low-to medium-income households and may be unable to leave cities to access nature, parks offer a way to access green space and its benefits. The lack of access to green spaces further limits the options of activities that underserved populations can engage in during the pandemic, exacerbating stressors and other inequities these populations may already be experiencing.
Unsurprisingly, studies have found correlations between children who have limited access to green spaces and poor health outcomes such as increased risk for neurodevelopmental disorders such as ADHD, and behavioural problems such as aggressive behaviour and conduct problems. Impacts on health include increased sedentary behaviour due to lack of spaces to engage in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, higher blood pressure, and increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of green space for children’s health and broader public health. As Canada slowly loosens restrictions, observations and data collected on green space use during the pandemic can be used to equitably invest in green spaces. It is important to apply an equity lens and actively engage community members, families, children and youth across all populations in planning, implementing and enhancing green spaces. High-quality green spaces can serve as an upstream, preventative measure against many negative health outcomes, especially among children. As such, the importance of investing in green spaces must not be understated.
Umayangga Yogalingam is a recent graduate from the Master of Public Health program at the University of Toronto and is passionate about mental health, health equity, environmental health, and the impact of race, culture and ethnicity on health. In addition to being the Executive Director of the YCRH, she is also the Research and Knowledge Translation Lead at The Sandbox Project.
