Study Reveals How Green Spaces May Protect Children Against ADHD and Autism - Video

A new study published in Environment International by Rutgers Health researchers has found that living near green spaces before and during pregnancy, as well as in early childhood, is associated with a reduced risk of neurodevelopmental disorders. These include attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and other developmental delays.

Researchers sought to address an important knowledge gap regarding the impact of green space, especially among socioeconomically disadvantaged groups. To investigate, researchers analyzed data from the Medicaid Analytic Extract spanning 2001 to 2014. The dataset included over 1.8 million racially and socioeconomically diverse mother–child pairs across multiple U.S. states. Green space exposure was quantified using satellite imaging to assess vegetation density near mothers’ residential ZIP codes during preconception, pregnancy, and early childhood.

The findings revealed that higher exposure to green spaces was significantly associated with a reduced risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in children.

Importantly, the study found that the timing of exposure mattered. Prenatal green space exposure was linked to a lower risk of autism, while preconception exposure correlated with a reduced risk of intellectual disability. Exposure during early childhood was found to protect against learning difficulties. The protective effects were especially notable among children living in urban environments and among Black and Hispanic populations.

The researchers plan to explore the biological and environmental mechanisms behind these associations and assess long-term cognitive outcomes into adolescence.

“Our findings suggest that enhancing green space access in urban environments may support early childhood neurodevelopment and help reduce the burden of neurodevelopmental delays,” said Stefania Papatheodorou, associate professor at the Rutgers School of Public Health and senior author of the study.

“These findings suggest that increasing green space access could be a potentially modifiable environmental strategy to reduce the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders among children, especially in vulnerable, low-income populations,” Papatheodorou said.

Reference: Choi, H. M., Huybrechts, K. F., Hernandez-Diaz, S., Qiu, X., Leung, M., James, P., ... & Papatheodorou, S. (2025). Preconception, prenatal and early childhood exposure to green space and risk of neurodevelopmental delays: a national cohort study among Medicaid enrollees. Environment International, 109666.