Is neighborhood green space associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes? Evidence from 267,072 Australians

Authors

Thomas Astell-Burt, University of Western Sydney
Xiaoqi Feng, University of WollongongFollow
Gregory Kolt, University of Western Sydney

RIS ID

102055

Publication Details

Astell-Burt, T., Feng, X. & Kolt, G. S. (2014). Is neighborhood green space associated with a lower risk of type 2 diabetes? Evidence from 267,072 Australians. Diabetes Care, 37 (1), 197-201.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE Lifestyle interventions for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T₂DM) are best positioned for success if participants live in supportive neighborhood environments. Deprived neighborhoods increase T₂DM risk. Parks and other “green spaces” promote active lifestyles and therefore may reduce T₂DM risk. We investigated association between neighborhood green space and the risk of T₂DM in a large group of adult Australians.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Multilevel logit regression was used to fit associations between medically diagnosed T₂DM and green space exposure among 267,072 participants in the 45 and Up Study. Green space data were obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics, and exposure was calculated using a 1‐km buffer from a participant’s place of residence. Odds ratios (ORs) were controlled for measures of demographic, cultural, health, diet, active lifestyles, socioeconomic status, and neighborhood circumstances.

RESULTS The rate of T₂DM was 9.1% among participants in neighborhoods with 0–20% green space, but this rate dropped to approximately 8% for participants with over 40% green space within their residential neighborhoods. The risk of T₂DM was significantly lower in greener neighborhoods, controlling for demographic and cultural factors, especially among participants residing in neighborhoods with 41–60% green space land use (OR 0.87; 95% CI 0.83–0.92). This association was consistent after controlling for other explanatory variables and did not vary according to neighborhood circumstances.

CONCLUSIONS People in greener surroundings have a lower risk of T₂DM. Planning, promoting, and maintaining local green spaces is important in multisector initiatives for addressing the T₂DM epidemic.