'Green Acres' really is the place to be if you want mentally healthier kids

(STUDY FINDS) – It turns out the 1960s hit TV show “Green Acres” had it spot on when it came to its catchy theme song. New research suggests young children who grow up in areas lush with green spaces have stronger mental health. The study reports that kids who lived in areas featuring natural areas…

The post 'Green Acres' really is the place to be if you want mentally healthier kids appeared first on WND.

(STUDY FINDS) – It turns out the 1960s hit TV show “Green Acres” had it spot on when it came to its catchy theme song. New research suggests young children who grow up in areas lush with green spaces have stronger mental health. The study reports that kids who lived in areas featuring natural areas (forests, parks, even backyards) from birth may deal with fewer emotional issues between the ages of two and five.

The project was funded by the NIH Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) program. Findings are published in JAMA Network Open.

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In an effort to collect more data focusing specifically on the relationship between mental health in young children and time spent in nature, ECHO investigators analyzed information gathered from parents regarding the behavior of their children from ages two to 11. From there, researchers compared that data with each family’s residential address when the child was born in conjunction with satellite data pertaining to live vegetation density around their homes.

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The post 'Green Acres' really is the place to be if you want mentally healthier kids appeared first on WND.