The Mental and Physical Health Benefits of Green Exercise

The Mental and Physical Health Benefits of Green Exercise Health and Social Care – Views of the Future University of Essex, July 12th 2006 Professor Jules Pretty Department of Biological Sciences Hunter-gatherers for ~300,000 generations Agriculture for ~600 generations 5 M years BP First cities (Uruk, Babylon, Ur) Rural and urban world population, 1950-2030 6 5 4 billion 3 2 1 0 19 50 19 55 19 60 19 65 19 70 19 75 19 80 19 85 19 90 19 95 20 00 20 05 20 10 20 15 20 20 20 25 20 30 Urban Rural Modern cities Urbanisation Industrialised society: 6-8 generations Nutrition Transition • Nutrition transition • Shift from traditional and local foods, mixed diets, high in fruit and vegetables • To refined cereals and sugars, more fats, more processed foods, fewer vegetables • Mediterranean diet – gold standard • Fruit & veg; olive oil, fish, meat • Low in saturated fats and sugar • Large increase in diet-related chronic diseases in adults (and now in children) • Coronary heart disease, strokes, type II diabetes, cancers (30% caused by diet), obesity • Obesity affects > 22% of adults and 16% of children in the UK Physical Activity Transition • Dramatic fall in physical activity in past 50 years • More sedentary lifestyles – both work and leisure time • Both less walking, cycling and less organised sports • Ave adult – marathon a week less per week • UK • Only one third of adults take the 30 minutes moderate exercise 5x per week • Less exercise in schools, 60% of primary school children are driven to school The Concept of Green Exercise Physical Activity Known to have positive effects on physical and mental health Exposure to Nature Known to have positive effects on mental health Green Exercise To what extent does physical activity in the presence of green space affect mental and physical well-being? Psychological benefits of nature • The Biophilia hypothesis – Closeness to nature increases well-being • as well as increasing the likelihood of understanding and caring for nature – Biophilia – holds that we have “an innate sensitivity to and need for other living things – as we have co-existed for thousands of generations” • Nature has a positive and negative emotional impact on us • Why do people all over the world have a negative response to spiders and snakes? • And not modern dangers such as guns and cars? A room with a view • Prisoners • Comparison of those in cells facing farmland/trees or prison yard • Those with nature views – 24% fewer sick cell visits • Hospital patients • Comparison of patients in rooms looking out on brick walls or trees • Patients with nature views – Stayed in hospital for less time – Less medication & fewer negative comments in nurses’ notes • Nature distraction therapy • Bronchoscopy patients – nature scene placed at bedside (still, not moving), and patients provided with tape of nature sounds • Significantly better pain control » Total cost significantly less than cost of drugs Exposure to nature • Dental patients • Observing a live aquarium before treatment - more relaxed • Plants in offices & homes • Improve mood and relaxation • No plants – more stress • Plants – less staff absenteeism – Less expenditure on drugs and surgery • Healing gardens in hospitals • Patients report positive changes in mood when visiting gardens • Pet owners • Lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels than nonowners (Australia) • Fewer visits to doctor (USA) • Dog-owners after heart attacks 6x more likely to survive a year after trauma than non-owners Therapeutic landscapes • Evidence should not be a surprise • Yet it does not form much of a part of conservation, health, planning, food, agriculture or environmental agendas • Wild places, countryside and urban green space could be promoted as part of health service • 1.2 billion visits to country • 5 billion visits to urban parks • Important part of personal identity created through interactions in specific places • What we are is partly constructed through relationships with people and nature • If we lack relationships and connections – Lose sense of personal identity and self-esteem Rural and urban views • Green exercise research • Controlled conditions (100 subjects) • Comparison of 4 types of views while running on treadmill • Measured two effects • Of difference scenes • Of physical activity Mean arterial blood pressure (mm Hg) Rural and Urban Views • Blood pressure • Decline greatest in rural pleasant • Increased with urban views relative to control Figure 1: Change in mean arterial blood pressure after exercise whilst viewing different scenes 96 94 92 90 88 86 84 82 80 Rural pleasant Rural unpleasant Urban pleasant Urban unpleasant Control Figure 2: Change in self-esteem after exercise whilst viewing different scenes 16 Rural pleasant Rural unpleasant Urban pleasant Urban unpleasant 17 Control • Self-esteem • All improvements • Best with rural pleasant and urban pleasant • Unpleasant scenes made selfesteem worse relative to control Index of Self-Esteem 18 19 20 • Mood • Significant improvement in total mood disturbance • Biggest improvements seen in rural and urban pleasant conditions 135 137 139 141 Figure 3: Change in Total Mood Disturbance (TMD) after exercise whilst viewing different scenes Rural Pleasant ** Rural Unpleasant NS Urban Pleasant ** Urban Unpleasant NS Control * Index of TMD 143 145 147 149 151 153 155 From Green Exercise to Green Care and Green Design • Green Care • Laboratory study of effects of views on cardiac rehabilitation patients • Working with The Wilderness Foundation to assess effects of adventure therapy • Care Farming – the use of farms and agricultural landscapes for the promotion of physical health and mental well-being • Comparison of 6 week programmes for CBT and Green Exercise • Green Design • Incorporating nature, art and health at hospitals • Analysis of environmental improvements for the Environment Agency Policy Challenges 1. Increase the number of people participating in green exercise, especially – those suffering ill-health – those not accessing countryside or green spaces 2. Increase the rate of use by those already participating • Health Recommendations • Green exercise saves money for NHS • Prescribe Gr Ex for those with sedentary lifestyles & overweight problems • Redesign hospital grounds and views from window Green Exercise • • • Brings mental, physical and social health benefits • Even from short exposure Health benefits will lead to avoided public health costs (and so save money) Added reason to protect and conserve both countryside and urban green space • Many opportunities available • Already accessed by reasonably healthy • But need to do much more for other social groups Get to children early to change long-term behaviour • Forest Schools •