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. 2023 Jun 28;9(26):eadf8140.
doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adf8140. Epub 2023 Jun 28.

Inequalities in urban greenness and epigenetic aging: Different associations by race and neighborhood socioeconomic status

Kyeezu Kim  1 , Brian T Joyce  1 , Drew R Nannini  1 , Yinan Zheng  1 , Penny Gordon-Larsen  2 , James M Shikany  3 , Donald M Lloyd-Jones  1 , Ming Hu  4 , Mark J Nieuwenhuijsen  5   6   7 , Douglas E Vaughan  8   9 , Kai Zhang  10 , Lifang Hou  1   9
Affiliations

Inequalities in urban greenness and epigenetic aging: Different associations by race and neighborhood socioeconomic status

Kyeezu Kim et al. Sci Adv. .

Abstract

Slower epigenetic aging is associated with exposure to green space (greenness); however, the longitudinal relationship has not been well studied, particularly in minority groups. We investigated the association between 20-year exposure to greenness [Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)] and epigenetic aging in a large, biracial (Black/white), U.S. urban cohort. Using generalized estimating equations adjusted for individual and neighborhood socioeconomic characteristics, greater greenness was associated with slower epigenetic aging. Black participants had less surrounding greenness and an attenuated association between greenness and epigenetic aging [βNDVI5km: -0.80, 95% confidence interval (CI): -4.75, 3.13 versus βNDVI5km: -3.03, 95% CI: -5.63, -0.43 in white participants]. Participants in disadvantaged neighborhoods showed a stronger association between greenness and epigenetic aging (βNDVI5km: -3.36, 95% CI: -6.65, -0.08 versus βNDVI5km: -1.57, 95% CI: -4.12, 0.96 in less disadvantaged). In conclusion, we found a relationship between greenness and slower epigenetic aging, and different associations by social determinants of health such as race and neighborhood socioeconomic status.

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Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.. Association between long-term exposure to surrounding greenness (1985–2006; Y0-Y20) and GrimAA (2005–2006; Y20).
Model 1: adjusted for age, sex, race, and study field center; model 2: adjusted for model 1 covariates + individual behavior and SES [education years, smoking, marital status, income, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI)]; model 3: adjusted for model 2 covariates + neighborhood deprivation score.
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.. Time-specific associations between residential greenness at each exam visit and GrimAA at Y20 (2005–2006).
Model 1: adjusted for age, sex, race, and field center; model 2: adjusted for model 1 covariates + individual behavior and SES (education years, smoking, marital status, income, physical activity, and BMI); model 3: adjusted for model 2 covariates + neighborhood deprivation score.
Fig. 3.
Fig. 3.. Association between long-term exposure to surrounding greenness (1985–2006; Y0-Y20) and GrimAA (2005–2006; Y20) by subgroups.
Models were adjusted for age, sex, race, education years, smoking, marital status, income, physical activity, BMI, neighborhood deprivation score, and field center.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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