A suite of studies shows that time spent in nature, particularly around tree cover, improves mental and physical health.
The researchers believe that their presentation shows that nature “prescriptions” merit wider use in the medical profession.
Suggesting that spending time in nature walking with friends is good for mood and blood pressure will surprise pretty much no one, especially no one reading GNN. But the idea of time in nature as a prescription, just as a doctor might prescribe an SSRI for depression, hasn’t been widely evaluated scientifically, particularly in Australia.
A meta-analysis conducted in the country and published in The Lancet, shows that nature prescriptions as defined, benefitted daily step counts, depression and anxiety scores, and blood pressure.
“This study is built upon a long-term program of research that we are doing, where we show contact with nature—and trees especially—is really good for strengthening mental and physical health across our lives,” said Professor Xiaoqi Feng from UNSW Medicine & Health.
Nature prescriptions are emerging as a supplement to standard medical care. For example, the UK Government recently invested £5.77 million in a pilot program for ‘green social prescribing’ and Canada has a national nature prescription program.
In Australia, there is growing public interest in nature prescriptions. A recent survey of Australian adults led by Prof. Feng showed that over 80% of people were receptive to the idea.
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“If we want nature prescriptions to become a national scheme, we really need to provide the evidence.”
One of the 28 studies analyzed included 47,000 people in Australia’s New South Wales state and found greater reported well-being in those living in the upper thirtieth percentile of tree-covered areas, suggesting the role of trees in any nature prescription scheme.
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“The evidence shows that nature prescriptions can help to restore and build capacities for better physical and mental health. What we need now is to work out how to make nature prescriptions happen in a sustained way for those people with high potential to benefit, but who currently spend little time in nature,” said Prof. Feng.
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