According to the UN, more than 50% of the human population are now city dwellers and this increased urbanisation has been noted to have a profound impact on the mental health of those who have restricted access to green space.
A study published in February has confirmed that children that experience more green spaces in childhood have less mental health issues as adults, so there's even more reason to pop along to the local park for run and play with the kids.
The scientific paper shows that children who grew up with the lowest levels of green space had up to 55% higher risk of developing a psychiatric disorder, cementing why projects like the Daily Mile and junior parkrun are such fantastic and important projects for helping future generations maintain a healthy life style.
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Not only this, but exposure to green space has been suggested to lower depression and schizophrenia risk, improve children’s cognitive development and reduce neural activity linked to psychiatric disorders.
It's time to get outdoors and enjoy the world.
Ben is Runner's World's Multiplatform Director and has worked at the title for over 11 years. He has always had a deep interest in running shoes and tech and has amassed a wealth of knowledge on running products during this time and through countless hours of testing. Ben also enjoys exploring the science behind running and how it informs advances in training and racing. He is also the co-host of the weekly podcast. Ben is a firm believer that running is just as much about adventure and fun as about chasing PBs, and he likes nothing more than a day spent explore new trails.
