Green light to pile on the pounds?

FOR people based in towns and cities, living near too much green space may lead to you gaining weight, new research has shown.

Those living with a ‘medium’ amount of green space nearby show a lower risk of obesity than those near large open spaces, a report from the Economic and Social Research Institute says.

The ESRI found the link between these issues is statistically significant and large. It said people who live in areas with the lowest or highest share of green space are 13 percentage points more likely to be obese than those in areas with medium amounts of green space.

The report, for the Environmental Protection Agency, says: ‘It is not surprising that those living in urban neighbourhoods with very little green space might have higher risk of obesity, but why might the greenest urban areas also have elevated obesity rates?

‘We do not know for sure, but it seems likely there is some other feature of the urban landscape that affects the relationship between green spaces and obesity.

‘For green spaces to encourage physical activity and thereby benefit health they not only need to be available, but also accessible.’

Nearly 80% of over-50s are classified as overweight or obese in Ireland, according to their body mass index measurements.