Link Between Greener Areas Around Schools and Lower Likelihood of ADHD Symptoms

In China, attending schools in greener areas was linked to a reduced likelihood of having attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms, stated new study.

There were 59,754 children (ages 2 to 17) included, of whom 2,566 (4.3%) //had ADHD symptoms.

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‘Attending schools in greener areas (as measured by satellite image-derived vegetation indexes) was associated with lower odds of ADHD symptoms, which was defined as six or more symptoms.’

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Limitations of the study include other potential factors that could explain the results; a causal link cannot be made between greener areas surrounding schools or kindergartens and ADHD symptoms; and ADHD symptoms were measured using questionnaires completed by parents and guardians with no clinical verification.

While further studies are needed, researchers suggest their findings could be helpful for developing strategies to plan more green spaces around schools.

To access the embargoed study: Visit our For The Media website at this link https://media.jamanetwork.com/

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Authors: Guang-Hui Dong, M.D., Ph.D., of Sun Yat-sen University, and Yunjiang Yu, Ph.D., of the South China Institute of Environmental Sciences, in Guangzhou, China, and coauthors

(doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.17862)

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Source-Eurekalert

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