| Title: | The role of greenspace in vitamin D status: cross-sectional, observational evidence from the UK Biobank |
| Journal: | International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health |
| Published: | 6 Dec 2024 |
| Pubmed: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39644736/ |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2024.114502 |
Publication 14041
WARNING: the interactive features of this website use CSS3, which your browser does not support. To use the full features of this website, please update your browser.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Exposure to greenspace is associated with positive health outcomes. This relationship is poorly understood, with limited knowledge on the mechanisms through which greenspace affects health, including biomarkers of greenspace effects.</p>
METHODS: We used data from the UK Biobank to examine the cross-sectional association between greenspace exposure and serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D]. Greenspace was assessed in a 300- and 1000-m buffer of land cover around each participant's home location, while 25(OH)D was measured by chemiluminescent immunoassay. We used multinomial regression models accounting for individual and area-level covariates. Additionally, we conducted mediation analysis by physical activity and time spent outdoors and performed various stratifications and sensitivity analyses.</p>
RESULTS: A total of 443 810 participants (mean age: 56.51 [SD: 8.1] years, 53.6% females) were included in the study. Compared to the first quartile (within 1000 m buffer of participants' home locations), we found positive associations between the highest quartile of greenspace and insufficient (OR: 1.16, 95% CI: 1.11, 1.21) and sufficient 25(OH)D (OR: 1.36, 95% CI: 1.30, 1.42) categories after adjusting for individual- and areal-level covariates. Other quartiles showed similar but smaller effect estimates. The observed association exhibited similar directionality when a 300 m buffer was used, and was more pronounced among males, and most deprived individuals. Physical activity and time spent outdoors partially explained the relationship between greenspace quartiles and sufficient serum 25(OH)D.</p>
CONCLUSION: We found positive associations between greenspace quartiles and serum 25(OH)D categories. This has implications for greening policies aimed at reducing vitamin D deficiency through controlled sun exposure.</p>
7 Authors
- Chinonso Christian Odebeatu
- Darsy Darssan
- Joana A Revez
- Charlotte Roscoe
- Phu Do
- Simon Reid
- Nicholas J Osborne
Enabling scientific discoveries that improve human health