SYDNEY, July 27 (Xinhua) -- A long-term Australian study has found that living in neighborhoods with more tree canopy may help protect against depression in older age.
The findings, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, highlight the potential role of urban planning in supporting healthy ageing and mental wellbeing, according to a statement released on Monday by the Sydney Center for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA) of Australia's University of New South Wales.
The research, led by CHeBA in collaboration with Australian Catholic University, followed more than 1,000 older Australians aged 70 to 90 for up to 12 years and found that people who lived in areas with greater tree canopy experienced fewer depressive symptoms over time.
Researchers examined how neighborhood features, including tree canopy, parkland, access to oceans, rivers and lakes, access to amenities and air pollution, were associated with changes in depressive symptoms.
Greater long-term exposure to tree canopy was consistently linked to lower levels of depression, the study said, adding that depression affects almost one in five adults over the age of 60 worldwide.
The study found little evidence that other neighborhood features, including parkland, blue space, access to services or long-term exposure to low levels of air pollution, had a consistent impact on depressive symptoms after accounting for other environmental factors. ■
