Malnutrition and type 2 diabetes mellitus across diverse global populations: a systematic review of observational evidence.

Trees have long represented life and resilience across various cultures (Rival, ). Although most of the world's population lives in urban areas due to socioeconomic benefits, urbanization has created disparities in access and exposure to trees. These inequities have been further entrenched by income inequality and residential segregation (Gerrish & Watkins, ; Swope et al., ). Research consistently shows that proximity to trees and greenness is associated with numerous health benefits, such as reduced cardiometabolic (Astell‐Burt & Feng, ), respiratory (Lovasi et al., ), and overall mortality (Wolf et al., ). Several causal mechanisms for the benefits of green space on human health have been studied, from improving mental health on the individual level to mitigating pollution and encouraging a healthy lifestyle on a population level (Markevych et al., ). Climate change, driven by anthropogenic changes in land cover and rising greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere, has caused global temperatures to increase, particularly in urban areas due to the urban heat island effect (Wuebbles et al., ), with notable consequences for human health (Graffy et al., ). Extreme heat has caused more deaths in the United States (U.S.) than all other weather‐related disasters since 2002 (Weather Related Fatality and Injury Statistics: 80‐Year List of Severe Weather Fatalities, ). Unlike general vegetation and greenery, trees uniquely mitigate urban heat (Mallen et al., ; Mcdonald et al., ). Reduced tree canopy has previously been linked to elevated levels of heat related morbidity and mortality (Mcdonald et al., ). Even the presence of forest pests like the emerald ash borer, responsible for the loss of 100 million trees in the U.S., has been tied to elevated cardiovascular and respiratory‐related mortality (Donovan et al., ). By cooling cities and reducing stress, increased tree canopy may reduce crime and increase social cohesion (Wolf et al., ). Additionally, trees can be counted, planted, and tracked, making trees a more tangible marker for actionable public health interventions. Accordingly, public policy efforts in the U.S. and globally in cities like Paris, London, and Shanghai specifically prioritize tree planting to enhance urban resilience and health.