TY - JOUR
T1 - Exposure to natural environments during pregnancy and birth outcomes in 11 european birth cohorts
AU - Torres Toda, Maria
AU - Avraam, Demetris
AU - James Cadman, Timothy
AU - Fossati, Serena
AU - de Castro, Montserrat
AU - Dedele, Audrius
AU - Donovan, Geoffrey
AU - Elhakeem, Ahmed
AU - Estarlich, Marisa
AU - Fernandes, Amanda
AU - Gonçalves, Romy
AU - Grazuleviciene, Regina
AU - Harris, Jennifer R.
AU - Harskamp-van Ginkel, Margreet W.
AU - Heude, Barbara
AU - Ibarluzea, Jesús
AU - Iñiguez, Carmen
AU - WV Jaddoe, Vincent
AU - Lawlor, Deborah
AU - Lertxundi, Aitana
AU - Lepeule, Johanna
AU - McEachan, Rosemary
AU - Moirano, Giovenale
AU - LT Nader, Johanna
AU - Nybo Andersen, Anne Marie
AU - Pedersen, Marie
AU - Pizzi, Costanza
AU - Roumeliotaki, Theano
AU - Santos, Susana
AU - Sunyer, Jordi
AU - Yang, Tiffany
AU - Vafeiadi, Marina
AU - GM Vrijkotte, Tanja
AU - Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark
AU - Vrijheid, Martine
AU - Foraster, Maria
AU - Dadvand, Payam
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022
PY - 2022
Y1 - 2022
N2 - Research suggests that maternal exposure to natural environments (i.e., green and blue spaces) promotes healthy fetal growth. However, the available evidence is heterogeneous across regions, with very few studies on the effects of blue spaces. This study evaluated associations between maternal exposure to natural environments and birth outcomes in 11 birth cohorts across nine European countries. This study, part of the LifeCycle project, was based on a total sample size of 69,683 newborns with harmonised data. For each participant, we calculated seven indicators of residential exposure to natural environments: surrounding greenspace in 100m, 300m, and 500m using Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) buffers, distance to the nearest green space, accessibility to green space, distance to the nearest blue space, and accessibility to blue space. Measures of birth weight and small for gestational age (SGA) were extracted from hospital records. We used pooled linear and logistic regression models to estimate associations between exposure to the natural environment and birth outcomes, controlling for the relevant covariates. We evaluated the potential effect modification by socioeconomic status (SES) and region of Europe and the influence of ambient air pollution on the associations. In the pooled analyses, residential surrounding greenspace in 100m, 300m, and 500m buffer was associated with increased birth weight and lower odds for SGA. Higher residential distance to green space was associated with lower birth weight and higher odds for SGA. We observed close to null associations for accessibility to green space and exposure to blue space. We found stronger estimated magnitudes for those participants with lower educational levels, from more deprived areas, and living in the northern European region. Our associations did not change notably after adjustment for air pollution. These findings may support implementing policies to promote natural environments in our cities, starting in more deprived areas.
AB - Research suggests that maternal exposure to natural environments (i.e., green and blue spaces) promotes healthy fetal growth. However, the available evidence is heterogeneous across regions, with very few studies on the effects of blue spaces. This study evaluated associations between maternal exposure to natural environments and birth outcomes in 11 birth cohorts across nine European countries. This study, part of the LifeCycle project, was based on a total sample size of 69,683 newborns with harmonised data. For each participant, we calculated seven indicators of residential exposure to natural environments: surrounding greenspace in 100m, 300m, and 500m using Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) buffers, distance to the nearest green space, accessibility to green space, distance to the nearest blue space, and accessibility to blue space. Measures of birth weight and small for gestational age (SGA) were extracted from hospital records. We used pooled linear and logistic regression models to estimate associations between exposure to the natural environment and birth outcomes, controlling for the relevant covariates. We evaluated the potential effect modification by socioeconomic status (SES) and region of Europe and the influence of ambient air pollution on the associations. In the pooled analyses, residential surrounding greenspace in 100m, 300m, and 500m buffer was associated with increased birth weight and lower odds for SGA. Higher residential distance to green space was associated with lower birth weight and higher odds for SGA. We observed close to null associations for accessibility to green space and exposure to blue space. We found stronger estimated magnitudes for those participants with lower educational levels, from more deprived areas, and living in the northern European region. Our associations did not change notably after adjustment for air pollution. These findings may support implementing policies to promote natural environments in our cities, starting in more deprived areas.
KW - Fetal growth.
KW - Greenness
KW - Nature
KW - Parks
KW - Pregnancy
KW - Prenatal
U2 - 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107648
DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2022.107648
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 36436464
AN - SCOPUS:85142494708
VL - 170
JO - Environment international
JF - Environment international
SN - 0160-4120
M1 - 107648
ER -