Study: Thinking Skills Improve More In Children With Regular Exposure To Green Space

KYW Medical Reports Sponsored By Independence Blue Cross

By Dr. Brian McDonough, Medical Editor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Henry David Thoreau may have been ahead of his time when it came to health and memory. According to a new study, thinking skills improve more in children with regular exposure to green space -- that's according to a new study of more than 2,500 second to fourth-graders.

Researchers used satellite data to analyze how much nature surrounded them on a daily basis. Every three months, the students completed tests of memory and attention. At the end of a year, kids who spent more time around plants and trees improved their memories and displayed better focus than those exposed to fewer green spaces.

This is not the first time we have seen this. A study looked at hospital and nursing facilities and found that those with green spaces or even artificial gardens had similar results in not just memory, but overall health.