Improving lifestyles sustainability through community gardening: results and lessons learnt from the JArDinS quasi-experimental study

Abstract

Background Despite an increasing number of studies highlighting the health benefits of community gardening, the literature is limited by cross-sectional designs. The “JArDinS” quasi-experimental study aimed to assess the impact of community garden participation on the adoption of more sustainable lifestyles among French adults. Methods Individuals entering a community garden in Montpellier (France) in 2018 (n = 66) were compared with pairwise matched individuals with no experience in community gardening (n = 66). Nutritional quality, environmental impact and cost of monthly household food supplies, level of physical activity measured by accelerometers, as well as mental and social well-being, sensitivity to food waste, and connection with nature were evaluated at baseline (t0) and 12 months later (t1) to explore sustainability of lifestyles in social/health, environmental and economic dimensions. Linear mixed models were used to determine the independent effect of community gardening on investigated lifestyles components. In-depth interviews were conducted at t1 with 15 gardeners to better understand changes that may have occurred in gardeners’ lives during the first year of gardening. Results At t0, gardeners had lower education level, lower BMI and their household reported lower percentage of meals consumed outside of the home compared to non-gardeners (p < 0.05). Participating in the community garden had no significant impact, in spite of sufficient statistical power, on fruit and vegetables supplies (main outcome), nor on physical activity parameters, nor on others of the social/health, environmental and economic lifestyles components investigated. Qualitative interviews suggested the existence of pre-established health and environmental consciousness in some gardeners and revealed several barriers to the participation such as lack of time, lack of gardening knowledge, physical difficulty of gardening, health problems and conflicts with other gardeners. Conclusions The health benefits of community gardening previously reported by cross-sectional studies might be confounded by selection bias. The JArDinS study highlights the need to identify solutions to overcome barriers related to community garden participation when designing relevant public health interventions for the promotion of sustainable lifestyles. Trial registration The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03694782. Date of registration: 3rd October 2018, retrospectively registered.

Urban collective garden participation and health: a systematic literature review of potential benefits for free-living adults

“…While the results of the US study are yet not available, those of the French have just been published. 58 This quasiexperimental study found no positive impact of the first year of community gardening on healthiness of household's food supplies, physical activity, BMI, mental well-being and social health, connection to nature, sensibility to food waste, as well as, the environmental impact and expenditure of food purchased. Qualitative interviews revealed several barriers to the participation such as lack of time, lack of gardening knowledge, physical difficulty of gardening, health problems and conflicts with other gardeners, possibly explaining the lack of impact and confirming the importance of mixing quantitative and qualitative approaches in intervention research studies.…”

Chinese Residents’ Perceived Ecosystem Services and Disservices Impacts Behavioral Intention for Urban Community Garden: An Extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior

“…Community gardens have been proven to play an important role in the socialecological resilience of urban ecosystems and offer residents a place where they can reduce stress, share experiences, and gain community support [119,120]. Previous research has shown that community gardens provide a model that can promote sustainable urban living by linking individuals and communities to the food system and promoting the development of a deep reconnection and long-term commitment to sustainable living practices [84,85,121,122]. It has been concluded that the aesthetic value of urban gardens helps enhance the attractiveness of urban areas and that a scientific garden distribution is more likely to contribute to a larger network of ecosystem services across a broader urban landscape [123][124][125].…”

Community Garden Initiatives Addressing Health and Well-Being Outcomes: A Systematic Review of Infodemiology Aspects, Outcomes, and Target Populations

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