Green space and early childhood development: a systematic review

AbstractBackgroundThe urban environment presents significant health challenges for children, such as discouraging physical exercise and increasing exposure to air pollution, excessive noise and higher temperatures. Reducing exposures to these negative environmental factors can have great benefits on a child’s well-being and lower their risk of developing chronic diseases later in life. There is increasing evidence that suggests that the presence of urban green space can offer benefits to human health and well-being. While studies have reported the impact green space exposure has on the individual health outcomes of children, few have paid attention to the link between green space and the child’s development. This review aims to synthesise the evidence of the effect green space exposure has on early childhood development.ObjectivesTo explore the relationship between green space and early childhood development.MethodsAn online search was conducted using pre-identified keywords related to green space and early childhood development using search engines such as PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, MeSH and PsycINFO. Peer-reviewed papers published in the past 10 years were included in this review. Papers were selected, extracted, analysed and interpreted based on Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.ResultsFifty-one papers were identified, of which 28 were excluded due to duplications or irrelevance, yielding a total of 23 papers to be reviewed. Articles were categorised based on reported outcomes: perinatal health, physical health, psychological health and respiratory health. An increase in green space during pregnancy was associated with increased birth weight and a decreased risk for low birth weight (LBW). Further, higher greenness exposure during childhood was associated with increased levels of physical activity and a lower risk of obesity and neurodevelopmental issues such as inattentiveness. While green space exposure was negatively associated with wheezing and bronchitis in some cohorts, certain plant species increase asthmatic symptoms during childhood, indicating that plant species type is an important determinant.ConclusionThe extant literature on green space exposure and early childhood development is small. Regardless, the existing research provides promising insights into the benefits of green space exposure on children’s health and well-being in an ever-increasing urban world. Further research is needed on the causal relationships between both quantity and quality of green space to early childhood development.

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Does Place Matter? An International Comparison of Early Childhood Development Outcomes between the Metropolitan Areas of Melbourne, Australia and Montreal, Canada

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph16162915 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 16 (16) ◽

pp. 2915 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Catherine Dea ◽

Lise Gauvin ◽

Michel Fournier ◽

Sharon Goldfeld

Keyword(s):

Early Childhood ◽

Early Childhood Development ◽

Metropolitan Areas ◽

International Comparisons ◽

Well Being ◽

Childhood Development ◽

Relative Risks ◽

Development Outcomes ◽

Policies And Programs ◽

The Impact

There is strong consensus about the importance of early childhood development (ECD) for improving population health and closing the health inequity gap. Environmental features and public policies across sectors and jurisdictions are known to influence ECD. International comparisons provide valuable opportunities to better understand the impact of these ecological determinants on ECD. This study compared ECD outcomes between metropolitan Melbourne (Australia) and Montreal (Canada), and contrasted disparities across demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Methods: Population wide surveys using the Early Development Instrument (EDI) were conducted among 4–6 years-old children in both Montreal and Melbourne in 2012, measuring five domains of ECD: 1-Physical Health/Well-Being (PHYS); 2-Social Competence (SOC); 3-Emotional Maturity (EMOT); 4-Language/Cognitive Development (COGN); and 5-Communication Skills/General Knowledge (COMM). Descriptive analyses of summary EDI indicators and domain indicators (including median scores and interquartile ranges) were compared between metropolitan areas, using their respective 95% confident intervals (CIs). Analyses were performed using Stata software (v14). Results: The proportion of children developmentally vulnerable in at least one domain of ECD was 26.8% (95% CIs: 26.2, 27.3) in Montreal vs. 19.2% (95% CIs: 18.8, 19.5) in Melbourne. The Melbourne advantage was greatest for EMOT and COGN (11.5% vs. 6.9%; 13.0% vs. 5.8%). In both Montreal and Melbourne, boys, immigrants, children not speaking the language of the majority at home, and those living in the most deprived areas were at greater risk of being developmentally vulnerable. Relative risks as a function of home language and area-level deprivation subgroups were smaller in Montreal than in Melbourne. Conclusion: This study shows that Melbourne’s children globally experience better ECD outcomes than Montreal’s children, but that inequity gaps are greater in Melbourne for language and area-level deprivation subgroups. Further research is warranted to identify the environmental factors, policies, and programs that account for these observed differences.

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The Value of Urban Nature in Terms of Providing Ecosystem Services Related to Health and Well-Being: An Empirical Comparative Pilot Study of Cities in Germany and the Czech Republic

Land ◽

10.3390/land10040341 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 341

Author(s):

Ralf-Uwe Syrbe ◽

Ina Neumann ◽

Karsten Grunewald ◽

Patrycia Brzoska ◽

Jiři Louda ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Ecosystem Services ◽

Green Space ◽

Well Being ◽

Urban Green Space ◽

Urban Nature ◽

Urban Green ◽

Green Areas ◽

The Impact ◽

Health And Well Being

The quality of life in our cities critically depends on the intelligent planning and shaping of urban living space, in particular urban nature. By providing a wide range of ecosystem services (ES), urban nature essentially contributes to the well-being of city dwellers and plays a major role in avoiding common diseases through its positive impact on physical and mental health. Health is one of the most important factors underlying human welfare and is, thus, vital to sustainable development. The ES of urban green space provide other social-cultural functions alongside public health, for example by fostering environmental justice and citizenship participation. Thus, they should always be considered when searching for solutions to urban problems. The aim of this research was to determine the impact of green areas in three selected cities on the health and well-being of people by self-reporting of green areas’ visitors. To this end, we posed the research question: which types and characteristics of urban green space are most appreciated by city dwellers? Based on our findings, we have drawn up recommendations for practices to promote better living conditions. We have also pinpointed obstacles to and opportunities for leisure time activities as well as ways of supporting the public health of citizens.

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Evolution of opportunities for early childhood development in Arab countries

International Journal of Human Rights in Healthcare ◽

10.1108/ijhrh-11-2016-0022 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 10 (4) ◽

pp. 256-276 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Vladimir Hlasny

Keyword(s):

Early Childhood ◽

Early Childhood Development ◽

National Policy ◽

Household Wealth ◽

Arab Countries ◽

Childhood Development ◽

Content Type ◽

Market Opportunities ◽

Opportunity Gaps ◽

The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to evaluate opportunities for early childhood development (ECD) regarding children’s prenatal care, access to nutrition, health, parental care and cognitive-developmental activities, in 33 surveys from 13 countries. A total of 15 indicators for children’s opportunities are assessed including their typical level, inequality across demographic groups, and factors responsible. Design/methodology/approach Probability regressions estimate the effects of various household circumstances on children’s engagement in development opportunities. Dissimilarity indexes and human opportunity indexes are computed for each ECD dimension. To understand the impact of each household characteristic, Shorrocks-Shapley decomposition is performed. Findings ECD opportunities are poor but improving and becoming more equal across many countries. Progress is uneven. As may be expected, household wealth affects inequality for ECD opportunities facilitated by markets or governments, but not non-market opportunities. For preventive healthcare and preschool enrollment, access is deteriorating, reflecting low priority given to them in public policy. Children’s height falls behind in the first two years of children’s life, suggesting the need for targeted institutional interventions. Surprisingly, countries experiencing uprisings see conditions improving, while other Arab countries see them stagnating or deteriorating. Originality/value Local and national policy should tackle the identified opportunity gaps. Policymakers should allocate proper investment in medical and educational infrastructure and better coordinate support for disadvantaged families to ensure proper prenatal and ECD. International organizations should provide assistance with these programs.

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Parents and Technology

Early Childhood Development ◽

10.4018/978-1-5225-7507-8.ch030 ◽

2019 ◽

pp. 610-641

Author(s):

Sean W. Mulvenon ◽

Sandra G. Bowman

Keyword(s):

Early Childhood ◽

Rural Communities ◽

Early Childhood Development ◽

Well Being ◽

Childhood Development ◽

The Internet ◽

Resource Model ◽

Health And Nutrition ◽

Use Of Technology ◽

Parents And Technology

The use of technology to improve the health and nutrition outcomes of children has been improving in recent years with many resources available online. Additionally, the expansion and continued growth of the Internet allows a method of access to information that transcends the traditional geographical obstacles in providing educational resources to parents in rural communities. A review of research and resources online to support parents with early childhood development is presented. A challenge identified in use of technology is the “silo” mentality of resources and the integration of education, health, nutrition, and social well-being information as a single resource for parents. Based on the research a comprehensive resource model is presented that integrates essential maturational and academic development for children. Additionally, the use for improved metrics and their development is provided.

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