Urban Forest and Human Health: The Impact on Physical Activity and Blood Pressure

Urban forests are increasingly recognized for their potential to improve public health. However, the specific relationships between green views, canopy cover, physical activity, and high blood pressure remain underexplored. This study aims to fill these gaps by investigating how the number of trees in view from a home, neighborhood tree canopy coverage, and proximity to walkable green spaces are associated with the likelihood of developing high blood pressure controlling for other key demographic, environmental, and behavioral factors. The results highlight the significant roles of age, gender, family history, and socioeconomic factors on high blood pressure. We examined our findings in relation to the 3-30-300 rule, an urban forestry guideline that proposes residents should be able to see at least three trees from their home, have at least 30% tree canopy cover in their neighborhoods, and have access to a park or green space within 300 meters. We found that key metrics of the 3-30-300 rule, which propose that residents should be able to see at least three trees from their home, have at least 30% tree canopy cover in their neighborhoods, and have access to a park or green space within 300 meters, did not statistically influence high blood pressure in our study population. This noted, more research is needed to determine the impacts of urban greening on human health and well-being.