Outdoor exercise can boost self esteem

Just five minutes of exercise a day in the great outdoors can improve mental health, according to a study, and policymakers should encourage more people to spend time in parks and gardens.

Researchers from the University of Essex found that as little as five minutes of a “green activity” such as walking, gardening, cycling or farming can boost mood and self esteem.

“We believe that there would be a large potential benefit to individuals, society and to the costs of the health service if all groups of people were to self-medicate more with green exercise,” says co-author Dr Barton.

The study appear in the journal Environmental Science & Technology.

Many studies have shown that outdoor exercise can reduce the risk of mental illness and improve a sense of well-being. But Barton and colleague Professor Jules Pretty, say that until now no one knew how much time needed to be spent on green exercise for the benefits to show.

Barton and Pretty looked at data from 1252 people of different ages, genders and mental health status taken from 10 existing studies in Britain.

They analysed activities such as walking, gardening, cycling, fishing, boating, horse-riding and farming.

They found that the greatest health changes occurred in the young and the mentally ill, although people of all ages and social groups benefited. The largest positive effect on self-esteem came from a five-minute dose of “green exercise”.

All natural environments were beneficial, including parks in towns or cities, they say, but green areas with water appeared to have a more positive effect.

In a commentary appearing in the same issue of the journal, researchers point out that none of the studies in the analysis were randomised trials.

But William Sullivan of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign says it will be valuable to those advocating the building of green spaces.

“Planners and consultants can put this in front of policy makers and say this is serious research that’s been published in the scientific literature.”

Reference Link
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2010/05/03/2888903.htm?site=science&topic=latest

Courtesy
ABC

'Green' exercise quickly 'boosts mental health'

Just five minutes of exercise in a “green space” such as a park can boost mental health, researchers claim.

There is growing evidence that combining activities such as walking or cycling with nature boosts well-being.

In the latest analysis, UK researchers looked at evidence from 1,250 people in 10 studies and found fast improvements in mood and self-esteem.

The study in the Environmental Science and Technology journal suggested the strongest impact was on young people.

The research looked at many different outdoor activities including walking, gardening, cycling, fishing, boating, horse-riding and farming in locations such as a park, garden or nature trail.

The biggest effect was seen within just five minutes.

With longer periods of time exercising in a green environment, the positive effects were clearly apparent but were of a smaller magnitude, the study found.

Looking at men and women of different ages, the researchers found the health changes – physical and mental – were particularly strong in the young and the mentally-ill.

Green and blue

A bigger effect was seen with exercise in an area that also contained water – such as a lake or river.

Study leader Jules Pretty, a researcher at the University of Essex, said those who were generally inactive, or stressed, or with mental illness would probably benefit the most from “green exercise”.

We would like to see all doctors considering exercise as a treatment where appropriate Paul Farmer, Mind

“Employers, for example, could encourage staff in stressful workplaces to take a short walk at lunchtime in the nearest park to improve mental health.”

He also said exercise programmes outdoors could benefit youth offenders.

“A challenge for policy makers is that policy recommendations on physical activity are easily stated but rarely adopted widely.”

Paul Farmer, chief executive of mental health charity Mind, said the research is yet further evidence that even a short period of green exercise can provide a low cost and drug-free therapy to help improve mental wellbeing.

“It’s important that people experiencing depression can be given the option of a range of treatments, and we would like to see all doctors considering exercise as a treatment where appropriate.”

Mind runs a grant scheme for local environmental projects to help people with mental illness get involved in outdoor activities.

Reference Link
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8654350.stm

Courtesy
BBC News