Being in nature: Good for mind, body and nutrition

Date:
April 25, 2022
Source:
Drexel University
Summary:
Researchers have investigated how nature relatedness -- simply
feeling connected with the natural world -- benefits dietary
diversity and fruit and vegetable intake.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
In late 2020, Canadian doctors made headlines for "prescribing nature,"
or recommended time outdoors based on research that suggests people who
spent two or more hours in nature per week improved their health and
wellbeing. Knowing this, transdisciplinary researchers from Drexel
University investigated how nature relatedness -- simply feeling
connected with the natural world - - benefits dietary diversity and
fruit and vegetable intake, in a study recently published the American
Journal of Health Promotion.


========================================================================== "Nature relatedness has been associated with better cognitive,
psychological and physical health and greater levels of environmental stewardship. Our findings extend this list of benefits to include
dietary intake," said Brandy- Joe Milliron, PhD, an associate professor
in Drexel's College of Nursing and Health Professions and lead author
of the publication. "We found people with higher nature relatedness were
more likely to report healthful dietary intake, including greater dietary variety and higher fruit and vegetable consumption." The research team surveyed over 300 adults in Philadelphia to measure their self-reported connection to nature, including their experience with and perspective
of nature, and the foods and beverages they had consumed the previous
day to assess their dietary diversity and estimate their daily fruit
and vegetable consumption. Survey participants mirrored demographic characteristics (gender, income, education and race) of Philadelphia,
as of the 2010 census. The data were collected between May and August
2017. The results of the survey showed that participants with a stronger connection to nature reported a more varied diet and ate more fruits
and vegetables.

"This work can impact health promotion practices in two ways," said
Milliron.

"First, nature-based health promotion interventions may increase
nature relatedness across the lifespan and potentially improve dietary
intake. And second, augmenting dietary interventions with nature-based activities may lead to greater improvements in dietary quality."
The research team added that these findings highlight the potential for leveraging nature-based experiences or interventions such as incorporating green spaces or urban greening into city planning, integrating nature-
and park-prescription programs into healthcare practices (similar to the Canadian model) and promoting nature-based experiences in the classroom settings, among many others.

But, the researchers noted, while improving dietary intake through
nature-based interventions may be valuable, it is also complex.

"Future research should explore the ways different communities experience
and value nature," said Dane Ward, PhD, assistant teaching professor
in the College of Arts and Sciences and co-author of the study. "It
needs to include how the intersections of environment, culture, race,
history (including connection to land), social cohesion and other social
and economic factors influence community identity relative to nature relatedness and dietary intake."

========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by Drexel_University. Note: Content
may be edited for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Brandy-Joe Milliron, Dane Ward, Janeway Granche, Janell Mensinger,
Dahlia
Stott, Claire Chenault, Franco Montalto, Eugenia V. Ellis. Nature
Relatedness Is Positively Associated With Dietary Diversity and
Fruit and Vegetable Intake in an Urban Population. American
Journal of Health Promotion, 2022; 089011712210869 DOI:
10.1177/08901171221086941 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/04/220425135943.htm

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