Many people like to enjoy their holidays by the sea, especially if the weather is good and they can go to the beach to swim or practice water sports, but, in addition, it is also an ideal destination if what you want is to take care of yourself, or to At least that is the main conclusion of a study carried out with data from 15 countries that has found that people who live near the coast or visit it frequently have better health.
Beach tourists will surely have experienced the physical and psychological well-being that the sea provides, even if they do not have a scientific explanation for it. Now, new research led by Sandra Geiger of the Environmental Psychology Group at the University of Vienna confirms that this feeling has a basis and that living near the coast, and especially visiting the coast, is associated with better health, regardless country of residence or economic income.
A positive link between proximity to the ocean and health
It is not the first time that the hypothesis that the proximity of the ocean can have beneficial effects on health has been put forward, since in 1660 doctors in England began to recommend sea bathing and walks along the coast to maintain or improve health. health of his patients and, in the mid-19th century, taking ‘the waters’ or ‘air of the sea’ was considered an effective health treatment that was commonly offered to the wealthiest European citizens who could afford it.
“We are also beginning to appreciate the similar health benefits offered by inland waters, such as lakes and natural pools”
Technological advances that occurred in the medical field at the beginning of the 20th century relegated these practices, but they have regained their popularity among medical professionals. To carry out the new study, a survey was carried out in which 15,179 people between the ages of 18 and 99 from 14 European countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom) and Australia, who gave their opinion on various activities related to the sea and their own health.
The results have been published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment. “It is amazing to see such consistent and clear patterns across all 15 countries. Now we also show that everyone seems to benefit from being near the coast, not just the rich. Although the associations are relatively small, living near and especially visiting the coast can still have substantial effects on the health of the population,” Geiger said. The authors of the paper have highlighted the importance of understanding the potential benefits of visiting the coast for the population in order to establish measures that facilitate access for all.
Dr Paula Kellett, from the European Marine Board, who also collaborated on the study, said: “The substantial health benefits of equitable and sustainable access to our coastlines must be considered when countries develop their marine spatial plans, consider future housing needs and develop public transport links.
And they have also wondered what this means for landlocked residents, like Geiger and his colleagues in Austria. “Austrians and other Central Europeans visit the coasts by the millions during the summer months, so they too may experience some of these benefits. In addition, we are also beginning to appreciate the similar health benefits offered by inland waters, such as lakes and natural pools.”
The study is part of the EU-funded Horizon 2020 project Seas, Oceans, and Public Health In Europe led by Professor Lora Fleming, Geiger and colleagues from the Universities of Vienna, Exeter and Birmingham, as well as Seascape Belgium and the European Marine Board. .
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