University of Louisville study finds living in tree-filled neighborhoods linked to heart disease risk reduction.

The University of Louisville's Green Heart Louisville Project, part of the HEAL Study, found that living in tree-filled neighborhoods may reduce the risk of heart disease and deliver similar health benefits as regular exercise. The study, conducted in low-to-middle-income neighborhoods in South Louisville, Kentucky, planted nearly 8,500 trees and shrubs. Residents living in areas with twice as many trees and shrubs had lower levels of a blood marker associated with heart disease, diabetes, and some types of cancer. The study also discovered that trees improve physical health by providing shade, cooling areas, and filtering air pollution.