Residing in urban areas with higher green space is associated with lower mortality risk: A census-based cohort study with ten years of follow-up

Epidemiological studies suggest that residing close to green space reduce mortality rates. We investigated the relationship between long-term exposure residential and non-accidental cardio-respiratory mortality. linked Belgian 2001 census population register follow-up data (2001–2011) among adults aged 30 years older in five largest urban areas Belgium (n = 2,185,170 mean time 9.4 years). Residential addresses were available at baseline. Exposure was defined as 1) surrounding greenness (2006) [normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) modified soil-adjusted (MSAVI2)] within buffers of 300 m, 500 1000 m; 2) [Urban Atlas (UA) CORINE Land Cover (CLC)] 3) perceived neighborhood (2001). Cox proportional hazards models with age underlying scale used probe into cause-specific (non-accidental, respiratory, COPD, cardiovascular, ischemic heart disease (IHD), cerebrovascular). Models adjusted for several sociodemographic variables (age, sex, marital status, country birth, education level, employment area income). further our main annual (2010) values ambient air pollution (PM2.5, PM10, NO2 BC, one a time), we additionally explored potential mediation aforementioned pollutants. Higher degrees associated lower rates respiratory In fully models, hazard ratios (HR) per interquartile range (IQR) increase NDVI m buffer (IQR: 0.24) UA 0.31) 0.97 (95%CI 0.96–0.98) 0.99 0.98–0.99) mortality, 0.95 0.93–0.98) 0.96–0.99) For space, HRs 0.93 0.92–0.94) 0.94 0.91–0.98) respectively. The observed risks largely independent from evidence risk associations most but not all studied causes death large representative cohort Belgium. These findings support importance availability areas.