The Impact of Beach Proximity on General Health
Ever wondered about the impact of beach proximity on general health?
Research Insights: Ballesteros-Olza et al (2020)’s recent study investigated the health effects associated with living close to the beautiful beaches of Barcelona, Spain. Based on data from 3192 participants in the Health Survey of Barcelona 2016, the study revealed some fascinating connections:
- Distance Matters: For very 1-km increase in distance from the closest beach, the likelihood of having good general health decreased by 7% (OR: 0.93; 95% CI: 0.87, 1.00).
- Closeness is Key: People living within the first 2 km from the beach were 45% more likely to have good general health (OR: 1.45; 95% CI: 1.01, 2.09) compared to those residing >5-10 km away.
- Income Matters: Interestingly, the health benefits of beach proximity were more pronounced for individuals with a low family income.
