Exploring the linkage between greenness exposure and depression among Chinese people: Mediating roles of physical activity, stress and social cohesion and moderating role of urbanicity

Although a plethora of studies have investigated the association between green exposure and mental health in developed countries, it is only recently that academics and policymakers have paid attention to how this association works in rapidly urbanizing and developing countries. This study aims to explore biopsychosocial pathways linking residential greenness exposure to depression in the Chinese context using data from the 2016 wave of China Labour-force Dynamics Survey. Results from multilevel models along with mediation analysis show that exposure to residential greenness is negatively associated with depression, and that physical activity, stress and neighbourhood social cohesion altogether have a complete mediation effect on this association. Results from moderation analysis suggest that urbanicity moderates the relationship between greenness exposure and depression, and that the relationship is strongest at the upper level of urbanicity. Our findings suggest the necessity of increasing the provision of recreational green spaces and improving the quality of green spaces in Chinese less urbanized areas. •Exposure to residential greenness is negatively associated with depression in China.•Physical activity, stress and neighbourhood social cohesion mediate the above relationship.•Urbanicity moderates the linkage between greenness exposure and depression.•Greenness exposure has the strongest association with depression at the upper level of urbanicity.