The primary aim of this study was to determine any associations between greenspace exposure and RAP in children and adolescents in Australia. A secondary aim was to determine if decreased greenspace exposure was associated with increased prevalence for RAP in this population.
To compare greenspace measures for children and adolescents with RAP we utilised data from Growing up in Australia: The Longitudinal Study of Children in Australia (LSAC). The LSAC commenced in 2002 and followed the development of 5000 children aged 0-1 y and 5000 children aged 4-5 y and their families over time, with data collected every 2 y. Our study analysed data from 2018, when children and adolescents were 12-13 and 16-17 y. Only participants living in urban postcodes, whose primary caregivers answered “Yes” or “No” for RAP, were included.
Quantity of greenspace was calculated at 1.6 km buffer zones from the population centroids of participants residential postcodes. The area of greenspace was calculated for lowest, moderate and highest levels of greenness, using the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The area of parkland, area of parkland > 0.5 ha and number of parklands > 0.5 ha were also calculated. Mann-Whitney U tests compared greenspace measures between those reporting RAP and no RAP, with false discovery rate (FDR)-corrected p-values 0.05 considered significant.
4.1% of 2,797 children 12-13 y living in urban areas reported RAP. Of those with RAP, 72% were female. Children 12-13 y with RAP lived in areas with lower greenspace exposure compared to their counterparts with no RAP, as measured by area at high greenness (p = 0.046). Furthermore, the areas in which they lived had less parkland compared to those with no RAP, as measured by area of total parkland, parkland > 0.5 ha and number of parks > 0.5 ha (all p = 0.046).
6.4% of 2,604 adolescents 16-17 y living in urban areas reported RAP, with 76% of those who reported RAP, female. No associations were identified between the quantity of greenspace the adolescents were exposed to and RAP for this population (p = 0.285-0.591).
Reduced quantity of greenspace exposure is significantly associated with higher primary caregiver reports of RAP in Australian children aged 12-13 y. In contrast, there was no significant difference in the quantity of greenspace exposure in adolescents aged 16-17 y with and without RAP.
Increased greenspace exposure in urban areas of Australia, as measured by area of high greenness and area of parkland, may be a potential, new intervention to reduce RAP prevalence in Australian children and adolescents aged 12-13 y.
recurrent abdominal pain
children and adolescents
