Results from a US study have suggested that the amount of green space in an area can contribute to children's weight, it has been reported.
A study produced by the Indiana University School of Medicine, the Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis and the University of Washington shows that higher green areas are linked with a slower increase in the body mass of children over a two-year period.
Gilbert C Liu, assistant professor of paediatrics at the Indiana University School of Medicine and author of the new work, said that the study of more than 3,800 children who live in inner city areas showed that living in an area with places of greenery has a long term positive effect on children's weight and overall health.
The study looked at youngsters aged between three and 18, who didn't change where they lived for two years - and found that regardless of age, race or sex, that higher greenery impacted on weight.
According to figures released by the British Heart Foundation earlier this year, nearly one in four children aged four to five are overweight or obese.
