If your preschool children live in a city, they are at a higher risk of suffering childhood asthma. One way to help prevent this from occurring is taking the kids on hikes.Street trees help lower the incidence of childhood asthma, according to a 2008 study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. In fact, having 343 trees per 0.38 square mile led to a 29 percent lower prevalence of early childhood asthma.
While the study didn't find a cause for the correlation between trees and asthma, researchers speculated that trees changed the local air quality and encouraged outside play, where air typically is less polluted that indoors.
Of course, the quickest way to enjoy 343 trees per 0.38 square miles is walking through a park or a woods. A hike may very well be great preventative medicine!
Learn about trail guidebooks available in the Hittin’ the Trail series.
