Walking Green: Developing an Evidence Base for Nature Prescriptions

Despite extensive evidence of the restorative effects of nature, the potential vitalizing effects of connecting with nature are yet understudied, particularly in higher education settings. University students face high levels of stress and anxiety, and may benefit from nature-based interventions that enhance positive states such as vitality. Using preliminary data from a pilot randomized controlled study with qualitative interviews, we explored the psychological experiences associated with a brief walk either in nature or an urban environment in a sample of 13 university students. The qualitative thematic analysis revealed that walking in nature was a more energizing and vitalizing experience than the urban walk. The nature walk was also found to have both affective and cognitive enhancing effects on participants. Our study highlights the usefulness of exploring subjective psychological experiences of interacting with nature, as well as supporting its restorative potential. Implications for further research and interventions are discussed.

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Natural or Urban Campus Walks and Vitality in University Students: Exploratory Qualitative Findings from a Pilot Randomised Controlled Study

Shrestha

Blasi

Cassarino

2021

“…In a study investigating forest bathing, or shinrin-yoku, researchers found that time spent in forests was associated with a reduction in reported feelings of hostility, depression, and anxiety among adults with acute and chronic stress [ 24 ]. Another study examining walking in different environments observed the largest and most consistent improvements in psychological states associated with forest walks [ 25 ]. Forest bathing may play an important role in health promotion and disease prevention.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Associations between Nature Exposure and Health: A Review of the Evidence

Jiménez

DeVille

Elliott

et al. 2021

250

126

There is extensive empirical literature on the association between exposure to nature and health. In this narrative review, we discuss the strength of evidence from recent (i.e., the last decade) experimental and observational studies on nature exposure and health, highlighting research on children and youth where possible. We found evidence for associations between nature exposure and improved cognitive function, brain activity, blood pressure, mental health, physical activity, and sleep. Results from experimental studies provide evidence of protective effects of exposure to natural environments on mental health outcomes and cognitive function. Cross-sectional observational studies provide evidence of positive associations between nature exposure and increased levels of physical activity and decreased risk of cardiovascular disease, and longitudinal observational studies are beginning to assess long-term effects of nature exposure on depression, anxiety, cognitive function, and chronic disease. Limitations of current knowledge include inconsistent measures of exposure to nature, the impacts of the type and quality of green space, and health effects of duration and frequency of exposure. Future directions include incorporation of more rigorous study designs, investigation of the underlying mechanisms of the association between green space and health, advancement of exposure assessment, and evaluation of sensitive periods in the early life-course.

“…Researchers have measured baseline indicators of time in nature to conclude that absence of nature contact is the population norm, with the consequence of "nature deprivation" [85] as permanent removal of nature contact being vulnerability to a range of negative health outcomes. Shared concern for a phenomenon described as the "rarity of direct experience in nature" [86] and characterized in the literature as nature deficiency [87] or nature impoverishment [23] has led to research on prescriptive nature re-engagement [88,89] and nature-based health treatment [90], especially among children. Still, conceptualization of nature deficit disorder [91] remains a descriptive and not diagnostic condition, with formal study elusive given research bounds, though a few exceptions exist [92].…”

Section: Background Literaturementioning

confidence: 99%

The Relationship between Nature Deprivation and Individual Wellbeing across Urban Gradients under COVID-19

Tomasso

Yin

Laurent

et al. 2021

Lockdown aiming at slowing COVID-19 transmission has altered nature accessibility patterns, creating quasi-experimental conditions to assess if retracted nature contact and perceived nature deprivation influence physical and emotional wellbeing. We measure through on-line survey methods (n = 529) how pandemic mandates limiting personal movement and outdoor nature access within the United States affect self-assessed nature exposure, perceived nature deprivation, and subsequent flourishing as measured by the Harvard Flourishing Index. Results indicate that perceived nature deprivation strongly associates with local nature contact, time in nature, and access to municipal nature during the pandemic, after controlling for lockdown mandates, job status, household composition, and sociodemographic variables. Our hypothesis is that individuals with strong perceived nature deprivation under COVID-19 leads to diminished wellbeing proved true. Interaction models of flourishing showed positive modification of nature affinity with age and qualitative modification of nature deprivation with race. Our results demonstrate the potential of local nature contact to support individual wellbeing in a background context of emotional distress and social isolation, important in guiding public health policies beyond pandemics.