José Szapocznik and his team have found the greener the neighborhood, the lower the stroke risk. The study used health data and satellite images of residential streets, which showed those living on green blocks had a 20% overall lower stroke risk.

“Our research shows that in Miami-Dade County, large populations live in low-greenness blocks, often in the poorest neighborhoods with the most vulnerable populations,” Szapocznik said. “If we can improve their cardiovascular health by 20 percent by planting trees – even without requiring major lifestyle changes– we could have a remarkable impact in our neediest populations.”

• Jose Szapocznik