TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2018//
TI  - Residential landscape as a predictor of psychosocial stress in the life course from childhood to adolescence
JO  - Environment international
A1  - Van Aart, Carola J. C.
A1  - Michels, Nathalie
A1  - Sioen, Isabelle
A1  - De Decker, Annelies
A1  - Bijnens, Esmee M.
A1  - Janssen, Bram G.
A1  - De Henauw, Stefaan
A1  - Nawrot, Tim S.
SP  - 456
EP  - 463
VL  - 120
IS  - 
N2  - BACKGROUND: The effects of residential landscape, i.e., land use and traffic, on psychosocial stress in children are unknown, even though childhood stress might negatively affect normal development. In a longitudinal study, we investigate whether the residential landscape predicts childhood psychosocial stress and whether associations are independent of noise and air pollution. <br><br>METHODS: Belgian children aged 6.7-12.2 (N = 172, 50.9% boys) were followed for three years (2012-2015). Information on stress was obtained using standardized behavioral and emotional questionnaires and by a measure of hair cortisol. Residential landscape, including natural, agricultural, industrial, residential areas, and traffic, in a 100-m to 5-km radius around each child's home was characterized. Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between psychosocial stress and the residential landscape were studied using linear regression and mixed models, while adjusting for age, sex, and parental socioeconomic status. <br><br>RESULTS: Natural landscapes were positively associated with better emotional status (increased happiness and lower sadness, anxiousness, and total negative emotions, β = 0.14-0.17, 95% CI = 0.01-0.30). Similarly, we observed an inverse association between residential and traffic density with hyperactivity problems (β = 0.13-0.18, 95% CI = 0.01-0.34). In longitudinal analyses, industrial area was a predictor of increases in negative emotions, while a natural landscape was for increases in happiness. Only the effect of natural landscape was partly explained by residential noise. <br><br>CONCLUSION: Residential greenness in proximity to a child's residence might result in a better childhood emotional status, whereas poorer emotional status and behavioral problems (hyperactivity problems) were seen with residential and industrial areas and increased traffic density in proximity to a child's home.<br><br>Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 0160-4120
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2018.08.028
ID  - ref1
ER  -