Green Space and Health in Mainland China: A Systematic Review

Hania Rahimi-Ardabili, Thomas Astell-Burt, Phi-Yen Nguyen, Juan Zhang, Yu Jiang, Guang-Hui Dong and Xiaoqi Feng
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Hania Rahimi-Ardabili: Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia
Thomas Astell-Burt: Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), School of Health and Society, Faculty of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities, University of Wollongong, Wollongong 2522, Australia
Phi-Yen Nguyen: Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia
Juan Zhang: School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Peking Union Medical College and The Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China
Yu Jiang: School of Population Medicine and Public Health, Peking Union Medical College and The Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100730, China
Guang-Hui Dong: Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510080, China
Xiaoqi Feng: Population Wellbeing and Environment Research Lab (PowerLab), School of Population Health, University of New South Wales, Sydney 2052, Australia

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 18, 1-22

Abstract: Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) have become a major cause of premature mortality and disabilities in China due to factors concomitant with rapid economic growth and urbanisation over three decades. Promoting green space might be a valuable strategy to help improve population health in China, as well as a range of co-benefits (e.g., increasing resilience to climate change). No systematic review has so far determined the degree of association between green space and health outcomes in China. This review was conducted to address this gap. Five electronic databases were searched using search terms on green space, health, and China. The review of 83 publications that met eligibility criteria reports associations indicative of various health benefits from more green space, including mental health, general health, healthier weight status and anthropometry, and more favorable cardiometabolic and cerebrovascular outcomes. There was insufficient evidence to draw firm conclusions on mortality, birth outcomes, and cognitive function, and findings on respiratory and infectious outcomes were inconsistent and limited. Future work needs to examine the health benefits of particular types and qualities of green spaces, as well as to take advantage of (quasi-)experimental designs to test greening interventions within the context of China’s rapid urbanization and economic growth.

Keywords: green space; mainland China; health outcomes; systematic review (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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