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How Does Greenspace Contribute to Healthy, Thriving Communities?. Dr Jo Barton University of Essex. Outline. Theories linking nature and health Greenspaces and healthy communities – what does the evidence show? Reducing health inequalities Obesity Crime - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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Dr Jo BartonUniversity of Essex
How Does Greenspace Contribute to Healthy, Thriving Communities?
Outline• Theories linking nature and health• Greenspaces and healthy
communities – what does the evidence show?• Reducing health inequalities• Obesity• Crime• Facilitates activity – ‘Green exercise’
• Green Exercise research findings• Opportunities for new public health
delivery structures
Our relationship with nature has changed....
Theory Linking Nature and Health• “an innate sensitivity to and need
for other living things – as we have co-existed for thousands of generations”
• Hardwired into our genetic makeup• Evolved with affiliation for nature,
urban settings not part of our genetic history
Wilson (1984)
Attention Restoration Theory• We engage in 2 types of attention1. Involuntary – requires minimal effort2. Voluntary (directed)– requires focus &
energy, is susceptible to mental fatigue • Nature – conducive to involuntary
engagement, replenishes our mental fatigue, helps us recover from stress, restores concentration levels
Kaplan & Kaplan (1989)
Health Value of Greenspaces
• 80% of worlds population live in urban areas
• Quality of physical environment promotes good health and wellbeing
• Protect and improve natural environment = protect and enhance people’s health
• Accessibility and design affects behaviour
Greenspaces and Healthy Communities
Greenspace
Reduces property crimeviolent crime levels of aggression
Provides a sense of belonging
Enhances social cohesionReduces social isolationImproves social networkingEncourages intergenerational links
Reduces stressPerceivedCortisolRestores mental fatigue
Improves mental health and wellbeingSelf-esteemMood
Reduces health inequalities
Facilitates activityImproves physical healthLowers BPIncreases HRVReduces obesity
Greenspace Reduces Health Inequalities
Mitchell & Popham (2008)
Is Greenery Associated with Obesity? (N = 6919)
Greenery
Ellaway & Macintyre (2005)
> x3
40% less
Greenspaces and CrimeHighest vegetation:•52% less total crimes•48% less property crimes•56% less violent crimes•Supports ART hypothesis
Kuo & Sullivan (2001)
Greenspace Facilitates Activity - ‘Green Exercise’
• Good access to greenspace increases likelihood of being physically active by 24%
• Green Exercise – synergistic health benefit?Laboratory studies
— Analysing concept in controlled setting— Rural vs. urban views— SE, mood improve more with green views
Pretty et al., (2005)
Viewing Nature Improves Recovery From Stress
• Viewing nature prior to a stressor can increase HRV (indicator of better health and an adaptable CV system)
• Enhances recovery from a stressor
Gladwell et al., (2012)
Underlying Cognitive Mechanisms?• Visual sensation study –
to what extent does the colour green contribute to the GE effect?
• Better mood & lower ratings of perceived exertion in green condition (even though exercise intensity the same)
Akers et al., (2012)
Green (unedited)
Grey (achromatic)
Red (filter)
A ‘Dose of Nature’• Multi-study analysis on change in
SE & mood, 10 case studies, n=1252
• Aim: Assess the optimal dose(s) of GE for mental well-being
• Type, duration and intensity of activity?
• Type of green space?• Participant characteristics?
Barton & Pretty (2012)
TMD = Total Mood Disturbance (indicator of
overall mood)
Dose response data for the effect of exposure duration
on TMD(*p<0.01; **p<0.001; ***p<0.0001,
bars=95% Cis; TMD=Total Mood Disturbance)
Dose response data for the effect of exposure duration
on self-esteem(*p<0.01; **p<0.001; ***p<0.0001,
bars=95% CIs;
Figure 7: Change in self-esteem scores over the duration of the project (*indicates significantly different from pre-wilderness trail, p<0.05)
N.B. Low scores=high self-esteem
Therapeutic Intervention - Longer Term Shifts in Self-Esteem
Barton et al., (2011)
TurnAround and Control Group Mindfulness and Self-Esteem Scores
Note: A lower score= better self-esteem, error bars represent
=1SD. * indicates a better self-esteem in the turnaround group
(P<0.05)
Note: A higher score=more mindful qualities, error bars represent =1SD. *
indicates a significantly higher mindfulness score in the TA group
(P<0.05)
Barton et al., (2012)
What are the Opportunities for New Public Health Delivery Structures?
• Using the environment to promote WB & initiate behaviour change
• Greening communities• Schools • Workplace • Retirement/care homes• New housing developments
• Engaging vulnerable groups• Responsibility still with individual but we can provide them with
the tools and environment to facilitate behaviour change
Green Infrastructure for Children
• Early encounters vital for creating meaning and establishing identity
• Concerns that children today spend too little time outside
• Disconnections mean– Reductions in ecological literacy– Misunderstandings about food– Reductions in cognitive capacity
The virtual is replacing the real (Pyle 2002)
Greenspaces Facilitate Physical Activity
Figure 1: Mean + SD of time spent in MVPA on the school playground and field (* indicates a higher MVPA on the field (P<0.001)
Figure 2: Mean + SD of time spent in MVPA during urban and rural orienteering (* indicates a higher rural MVPA (P<0.01)
Children Adolescents *
Wood et al., (2012)
Mean + SD of time spent in MVPA during indoor and outdoor cycling (*MVPA significantly greater outdoors compared to indoors
(P<0.05)).
Wood et al., (2012)
Workplace Health – Walks4Work
• Lunchtime walking interventions – nature/built• Nature walks:
• ↓ heart age by 1.5 yr, built ↓ 0.15 yrs• Significantly ↓ BP & ↑ negative mood compared to built• Significantly ↓ perceived stress (i.e. people thought
they were coping better with stress)• Active lunch break (walking & socialising in greenspaces) increases productivity and workplace wellness
Brown and Gladwell (2012)
Nature Deprivation....
• If nature is important, then deprivation will create problems....
• Physical benefits of nature in urban areas (microclimate effects)
• Design of built & natural environment matters for mental health
• The ‘green’ element often not considered essential in urban planning & regeneration
• Perception of the importance of nature?
Losing Connections....• In urban areas – nearby nature is important
(e.g. Parks & open spaces, street trees, gardens, allotments, community gardens)• Source of stress• Malign influence on social networks & social
mechanisms• Sense of place - Important part of personal
identity created through interactions in specific places
Conclusion - Research Findings to Date1. Acute GE has mental health benefits:
• Self-esteem & mood
2. Benefits for all types of:• Green spaces (imp of nearby nature)• Activities• Durations (5 mins – all day)• People (Vulnerable, ill, disaffected &
disadvantaged seem to benefit more)
3. Green spaces facilitate activity & improve social capital:
• Need accessible green spaces in towns & cities
Conclusions4. Need to think of Natural Health Service to complement
NHS - Green places can be therapeutic, self-medicate with nature?
5. Green exercise & green care suggest increasing need for:
• Green Design/ Infrastructure - Incorporate more green views and greenspace in urban design. Create memories (future benchmarks to behaviour)
• Green Education – Ecoliteracy, creative unstructured play (free-range children), sense of place
“I can go into the hills and enjoy peace and quiet, the exercise and relax. My troubles take a back seat on a day like today”
Any questions?
www.greenexercise.org