by Mike Colpitts 
A new study has found that people who live near the ocean live longer, have better attitudes about life and feel better, living happier, healthier lives. The major study found coastal living linked to healthier lives.
In an analysis of 66,00 U.S. Census tracks throughout the nation, an Ohio State University research team found those who live closer to the ocean live longer and enjoy life more than those who don’t. Researchers report a clear link between longer life expectancy and water for those within 30 miles of the ocean.
However, the data illustrates the opposite for people living in urban settings near an inland body of water larger than 4 square miles.
“Overall, the coastal residents were expected to live a year or more longer than the 79-year average, and those who lived in more urban areas near inland rivers and lakes were likely to die by about 78 or so,” said Environmental Health Sciences assistant professor Jianyong “Jamie” Wu, lead researcher for the study. “The coastal residents probably live longer due to a variety of intertwined factors.”
The study suggests that milder temperatures, better air quality, more opportunities for recreation, better transportation, less susceptibility to drought and higher incomes all could be contributors to a better outlook for coastal residents.
The research project shows a true certainty that coastal living linked to healthier lives is a reality. The research team worked more than a year on the study.
OSU postdoctoral researcher Yanni Cao said pollution, poverty, lack of safe opportunities for exercise and an increased risk of flooding likely were drivers for the worse outcome for urban residents living near inland waterways.
The most significant difference researchers found was that coastal areas experience fewer hot days and lower maximum temperatures compared to inland water areas. The onshore flow of winds produces a relaxing effect in many coastal areas of the nation.
Spurred on by the research that linked living near water and better health, including higher levels of physical activity, lower obesity rates and improved heart health, Wu contemplated whether there was a link between what he called “blue-space living” and longer lives.
“We thought it was possible that any type of blue space would offer some beneficial effects, and we were surprised to find such a significant and clear difference between those who live near coastal waters and those who live near inland waters,” he said. “We found a clear difference — in coastal areas, people are living longer.”
The data supplies more research to the long lasting belief that coastal living is healthier, despite risks of more storms in some areas as a result of climate change. Life expectancy in the U.S. is longer compared to other wealthy nations, with a rebound in U.S. life expectancy in recent years.
“It’s likely that various social determinants of health, including complex environmental factors, that contribute to health inequities are playing a key role in the differences we saw,” said Wu.
The study, which was published online in the journal Environmental Research, is the first comprehensive examination of the relationship between various types of blue space and longevity in the U.S.