Living near green spaces would reduce risks, especially in town

Here, if it was still necessary, an additional argument to benefit more often from the nature around us. Living near green spaces before. during pregnancy as well as in early childhood reduces the risks of toddlers to present neurodevelopment disorders growing up.

This study, carried by a team of Rutgers University, was published in the journal Environment International in July 2025.

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ADHD, autism: beneficial green spaces before and after birth – Living near green spaces would

To determine living near green spaces would the impact of growing up with nature, the researchers analyzed demographic data and neurodevelopmental diagnostics (ADHD, autism, etc.), extracts from Medicaid files (American health insurance), more than 1.8 million mother-child couples. Their exposure to green spaces was measured thanks to satellite imaging. Among other things. scientists noted the levels of vegetation near the residential postal codes of mothers before and during pregnancy as well as during the first years of child life.

Exposure to nature during pregnancy was associated with a lower risk of autism spectrum disorders. In addition. the more the mother rubbed shoulders with greenery before getting pregnant, the more the risk of intellectual disabilities decreased. Frequenting green spaces during early childhood had a protective effect against learning difficulties.

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In addition, researchers have noticed that these links were stronger among young people living in urban areas and in African-American and Hispanic families.

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“Associations were more marked in children living near green spaces would living in urban areas, which suggests a potentially more important benefit of green spaces where they are limited”underlines Stefania Papatheodorou, main author of the study, in a press release.

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Improve access to green spaces in town to combat neurodevelopment disorders

For researchers, their work shows the importance of contact with nature during childhood, and even before. “These results suggest that improving access to green spaces could constitute a potentially modifiable environmental strategy to reduce the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children. in particular in vulnerable and low -income populations, explains PA Papatheodorou. This also suggests that urban planning strategies promoting residential greenery could have beneficial long -term effects on children’s development.”