Health benefits of nature

Posted on Mon, 28 Oct 13

The health benefits of nature have been well studied with evidence suggesting important health effects. This understanding could have important implications for urban planning and environmental sustainability in a rapidly urbanising world.

A large number of studies have suggested important health effects of interacting with nature, according to a recent scientific review in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.

Table: Example studies on the potential benefits of interacting with nature

“Although many types of benefits have been studied, benefits to physical health, cognitive performance and psychological well-being have received much more attention than the social or spiritual benefits of interacting with nature, despite the potential for important consequences arising from the latter” point out the authors. More research is needed to better understand the health effects of human-nature interactions.

“Understanding the benefits of interacting with nature is also important from a sustainability perspective” they suggest. “Unsustainable exploitation of natural resources has resulted in the loss and degradation of species and ecosystems worldwide.”

In an accompanying remark Dr. Mardie Townsend captures the issue beautifully, saying that; “over recent years, there has been a growing acknowledgement of the importance of nature and the natural environment as a determinant of human health and wellbeing. While the World Health Organization attributes more than 25% of the world’s disease burden to environmental factors, this figure really only refers to the impacts of environmental degradation – pollution, resource depletion, loss of species diversity, climate change and the like. In fact, in developed societies, the issue of environmental deprivation is at least as important as environmental degradation.”

References:

1. Keniger LE, Gaston KJ, Irvine KN, Fuller RA. What are the benefits of interacting with nature? Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2013 Mar 6;10(3):913-35.

2. Townsend, M. Special Issue "Health Benefits of Nature.” Special Issue Information. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2013