Health Improvement
IMPROVING THE HEALTH OF THE POPULATION
How the Glasgow & Clyde Valley Green Network is delivering health benefits
With the rising obesity epidemic affecting adults and children across Scotland and the recent announcement by the Scottish Government of a weight treatment programme for those aged five to 15, the nation’s focus is turning towards tackling collective health problems.
But a weight treatment programme isn’t the only solution as people need safe, outdoor spaces in which they feel comfortable enough to exercise and unwind.
According to “Choosing our Future”, Scotland’s sustainable Development Strategy, “parks and greenspaces within our communities make an important contribution to physical health by providing places for walking, play and sport, and to mental health by offering ‘breathing spaces’ away from the stresses of modern life.”
The Glasgow and Clyde Valley (GCV) Green Network is addressing this issue with the creation of a high quality Green Network across the Glasgow metropolitan region.
It is hoped that the local population who have previously suffered from health inequalities will be able to take positive steps to improve their health as a result of increased greenspaces. Particular opportunities provided by the Green Network Programme are healthy eating (e.g. allotments, schools programmes, children’s gardens); physical activity (e.g. GP referral schemes, green gym, healthy walks programme); and mental health and wellbeing (e.g. conservation volunteering, community gardens, addition recovery programmes).
(All statistics courtesy of greenspace scotland)
