Abstract:
Urban forests are increasingly recognized for their potential to improve public health. However, the specific relationships between green views, canopy cover, physical activity, and high blood pressure remain underexplored. This survey-based study examined how self-reported measures of urban forest exposure, based on the 3-30-300 rule, are associated with self-reported high blood pressure among Florida residents aged 45 and older (n=1,361) focusing on this demographic due to their higher hypertension prevalence and potentially greater exposure to residential environments. We investigated how the number of trees visible from home, neighborhood tree canopy coverage, and proximity to walkable green spaces relate to the likelihood of high blood pressure, controlling for key demographic, environmental, and behavioral factors. The results highlight the significant roles of age, gender, family history, and socioeconomic factors on high blood pressure. We found that key metrics of the 3-30-300 rule did not show statistically significant associations with high blood pressure in our study population. Our findings contribute to the complex and still-developing evidence base regarding urban greening and cardiovascular health outcomes, while acknowledging the methodological limitations of cross-sectional, self-reported data.
Citation:
Christy C.V. Suhendy, Andrew K. Koeser, Ryan W. Klein, Laura A. Warner, Matilda van den Bosch, Gail Hansen, Self-Reported Urban Forest Exposure and High Blood Pressure: A Survey-Based Study of Florida Residents Over 45, Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 2026,129372, ISSN 1618-8667, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2026.129372 .