Trees help people feel healthier: study

Want to feel younger and healthier? Plant more trees in your street.

People who live in streets with lots of trees feel younger, better and report fewer cardio-metabolic conditions, such as hypertension and obesity, than residents in roads with fewer trees, a paper published in Scientific Reports says.

Using data from 31,109 residents of the Canadian city of Toronto who filled out an online questionnaire, the study found people who live in areas with a higher street tree density had a better perception of their health.

The study says the impact of street tree density seems to compare with other variables that correlate with better health - such as higher income.

A more affluent family living in a richer neighbourhood would be expected to perceive themselves as healthier people than a family with less, it says.

"Interestingly, however, that prediction could turn out to be wrong if the less affluent family lives in a neighbourhood that has on average 10 more trees beside the streets in every block," says the paper, titled "Neighbourhood greenspace and health in a large urban centre".