| Title: |
Methodological guidance for selecting buffers in greenspace-health studies |
| Authors: |
Sakhvidi, Mohammad Javad Zare; Browning, Matthew H. E. M.; Samuelsson, Karl; Labib, S. M.; Psyllidis, Achilleas; Amegah, Adeladza Kofi; Astell-Burt, Thomas; Bach, Albert; Jerrett, Michael; Bratman, Gregory N.; van den Bosch, Matilda; de Hoogh, Kees; de Vries, Sjerp; Dzhambov, Angel M.; Madvari, Rohollah Fallah; Feng, Xiaoqi; Fernandes, Amanda; Fuertes, Elaine; Giannico, Vincenzo; Gouveia, Nelson; Hartig, Terry; Heinrich, Joachim; Hystad, Perry; Ibarluzea, Jesus; Jacquemin, Benedicte; James, Peter; Jashni, Mahsa; Knibbs, Luke D.; Knobel, Pablo; Kogevinas, Manolis; Lertxundi, Aitana; Markevych, Iana; Mehrparvar, Amirhooshang; Miri, Mohammad; Mitchell, Richard; NAWROT, Tim; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.; O'Callaghan-Gordo, Cristina; Pearce, Jamie; Sanesi, Giovanni; PLUSQUIN, Michelle; Su, Jason G.; Triguero-Mas, Margarita; Ubalde-Lopez, Monica; Valentin, Antonia; White, Mathew P.; Yang, Bo-Yi; Zhang, Jinguang; Zhao, Tianyu; Yang , Jun; Helbich, Marco; Dadvand, Payam |
| Contributors: |
Sakhvidi, Mohammad Javad Zare; Browning, Matthew H. E. M.; Samuelsson, Karl; Labib, S. M.; Psyllidis, Achilleas; Amegah, Adeladza Kofi; Astell-Burt, Thomas; Bach, Albert; Jerrett, Michael; Bratman, Gregory N.; van den Bosch, Matilda; de Hoogh, Kees; de Vries, Sjerp; Dzhambov, Angel M.; Madvari, Rohollah Fallah; Feng, Xiaoqi; Fernandes, Amanda; Fuertes, Elaine; Giannico, Vincenzo; Gouveia, Nelson; Hartig, Terry; Heinrich, Joachim; Hystad, Perry; Ibarluzea, Jesus; Jacquemin, Benedicte; James, Peter; Jashni, Mahsa; Knibbs, Luke D.; Knobel, Pablo; Kogevinas, Manolis; Lertxundi, Aitana; Markevych, Iana; Mehrparvar, Amirhooshang; Miri, Mohammad; Mitchell, Richard; NAWROT, Tim; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.; O'Callaghan-Gordo, Cristina; Pearce, Jamie; Sanesi, Giovanni; PLUSQUIN, Michelle; Su, Jason G.; Triguero-Mas, Margarita; Ubalde-Lopez, Monica; Valentin, Antonia; White, Mathew P.; Yang, Bo-Yi; Zhang, Jinguang; Zhao, Tianyu; Yang , Jun; Helbich, Marco; Dadvand, Payam |
| Publisher Information: |
ELSEVIER SCI LTD |
| Publication Year: |
2026 |
| Collection: |
Document Server@UHasselt (Universiteit Hasselt) |
| Subject Terms: |
Humans; Population Health; Health Promotion; Parks; Recreational |
| Description: |
Greenspace can promote health via diverse pathways. A common approach to assessing greenspace exposure is to estimate vegetation availability within buffers surrounding locations where people reside or spend time. However, no clear framework for informed buffer selection exists, and choices made show considerable heterogeneity, impeding evidence synthesis and causal inference. In this Personal View conducted by an interdisciplinary panel of experts, we aimed to establish a framework for informed buffer selection for epidemiological studies on greenspace. We began by reviewing available approaches for the selection of buffer types, which range from single fixed-location approaches to high-resolution mobility-based activity-space approaches, as well as different buffer sizes. We then summarised the determinants of buffer type and size selection including health outcomes and underlying mechanisms, study population, contextual factors, and data characteristics. Finally, based on these determinants, we developed recommendations for future research. Buffer type and size selection should be hypothesis driven, reflecting presumed greenspace-health mechanisms. Buffer selection should target activity-based approaches where feasible, and multiple buffer sizes should be tested. Overall, the assessment of greenspace exposure should shift from ad-hoc approaches to personalised, multiscale, and context-specific methods. We call for standardising and reporting the rationale for buffer selection to minimise bias and enhance comparability and evidence synthesis across studies. ; AP and PD acknowledge supportfrom the EU’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement #874724. KS is supported by a grant from Forte [2022-00841]. AB acknowledges the support received under the “Margarita Salas” post-doctoral programme funded by the Ministerio de Universidades and the EU – Next Generation EU. The contribution of AMD and MH to this publication is supported by the “Strategic research and innovation programme for ... |
| Document Type: |
article in journal/newspaper |
| File Description: |
application/pdf |
| Language: |
English |
| Relation: |
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/874724; The Lancet. Planetary health, 9 (11) (Art N° 101370); https://hdl.handle.net/1942/48697; 11; 001671906500001 |
| DOI: |
10.1016/j.lanplh.2025.101370 |
| Availability: |
https://hdl.handle.net/1942/48697; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanplh.2025.101370 |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.7AEB16BE |
| Database: |
BASE |