People Living Near the Sea May Be Healthier

Living near the beach may come with an extra perk: better health.

A new study analyzed information from more than 48 million people in England and found that the nearer they lived to the coast, the more likely people were to report good health within the past year.

The results held even after the researchers took into account possible health factors such as age, sex, socioeconomic status, and whether they lived near parks or other green spaces.

The difference from living near the coast was relatively small. About 1 percent more of the people living within half a mile of the sea reported good health than did the people more than 30 miles from the sea.

But a small effect, when applied to an entire population, can have a substantial impact on public health, said study researcher Ben Wheeler of Peninsula College of Medicine and Dentistry in Exeter, England.