By: Inas Essa
A huge body of research has linked staying indoors for a long time with poor physical and mental health; on the other end are the benefits of spending time outdoors, in or near green spaces. A massive review of data from about 300 studies that evaluated evidence regarding how contact with nature affects children’s health positively, has shown that the existence of greenspaces near homes and schools is strongly associated with improved physical activity and mental health outcomes in kids. The review, which was conducted by Washington State University and University of Washington scientists, highlighted that these benefits of exposure to nature could be even more pronounced for marginalized groups, as they do not get the same exposure to these greenspaces regularly.
Benefits for Physical and Mental Health
"By looking at the full scope of existing quantitative evidence, we were able to see the importance of ready-access to nature for both physical and mental health outcomes in childhood," said Amber Fyfe-Johnson, the study's lead author and an assistant professor with WSU's Institute for Research and Education to Advance Community Health (IREACH) and the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine. She emphasizes that access to nature is a necessity, not a nicety for kids.
However, not all kids can get these benefits due to urbanization, increased screen time, and more inactive indoor lifestyles. Regarding marginalized groups and communities, the authors indicate that lack of nature impacts them more as they typically have fewer nearby residential parks and access to outdoor spaces. The same problem applies to families with limited resources and transportation options who face several barriers to accessing parks and natural areas outside the city.
Read also: Restoring Our Health: Sustainable Architecture and Mental Health
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Spending Time Outdoors Makes a Difference
Daily outdoor play has been encouraged by the American Academy of Pediatrics; yet, not all time spent outdoors is equal. The authors of the new research highlight that: a parking lot is not a park, and an urban playground without natural elements is not a garden. What could really generate better outcomes for kids is having a direct contact with nature, not just staying outdoors.
As a result, the researchers call for an urgent need to spread green spaces around schools, to avoid the probable crisis that could emerge from long physical inactivity and poor mental health for kids. "We sincerely hope our work will help lead to improved access to nature and health outcomes for kids, in addition to reducing health disparities in childhood," Fyfe-Johnson concludes.
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