Green buildings and their impact on health outcomes and dietary intake: What do we know?

Abstract

Background: While numerous research has been conducted on the energy efficiency advantages of green buildings, there remains a limited exploration of their effects on individuals’ health conditions and dietary intake. Green building’s structure and design aim to reduce the impact on the surrounding environments while also helping to improve the quality of health of individuals who live within them.

Aim: The objective of this study was to examine the impact of green buildings on health outcomes and dietary intake.

Method: Using four databases (Agricola, EBSCO, PubMed, and Web of Science), search of literature was directed with the following keywords: green buildings, green homes, built environment, housing design, health outcomes, dietary patterns, dietary intake, eating behavior, food choices, and others. We reviewed 33 articles, and 19 met our inclusion criteria.

Results: The synthesis of literature revealed four overarching themes: the association between green buildings and respiratory diseases, mental health, dietary intake, and physical activity level. Our findings suggest an association between green buildings and the improvement of certain health conditions, including asthma, depression, and obesity.

Conclusion: The results emphasize the necessity for additional research to investigate the sustained impact of green buildings on residents’ health and dietary habits over an extended period. The implications of the findings are significant for policymakers, urban planners, and researchers, underscoring the potential of green building initiatives in promoting healthy living environments.