One study found that growing up in rural areas or near greenery helps children develop healthy lungs.
Researchers from the University of Porto in Portugal studied more than 3,200 children by seeing how close their homes were to green spaces such as parks, tree-lined streets and gardens.
They followed the children from birth to ten years old, testing their lung function, which showed that those who grew up in greener areas had stronger lungs.
The study, published in the European Respiratory Journal, highlights the importance of green public spaces in cities to help improve children’s health and fight climate change.
Family can afford to move
The researchers said families may consider moving to rural areas or greener areas to improve their children’s lung function.
Experts said this suggests that being closer to nature may help the lungs thrive by reducing stress and inflammation or exposure to healthy bacteria.
