December 10th

By Mutt Mulligan

Urban green space promotes physical activity & health in adolescents

A recent study confirms what the TurfMutt Foundation has been saying for years. Green space is good for health and well-being.

For this study, researchers interviewed more than 380 adolescents (ages 13-19) who live in Turkey. The scientists wanted to get their feedback about outdoor exercise. Responses were linked to information about characteristic features of green spaces, including lawns, trees, exercise trails, and others.

The questions included demographic information, as well as how far they had to walk to get to the urban green space, their frequency and duration of outdoor exercise, and the amount of time they spend on screens each day. Researchers also asked the teens to provide information about their height and weight and to give a self-evaluation about their general health in recent weeks.

The study found that outdoor physical activity has important health benefits for adolescents, and that natural outdoor areas (lawns, trees, trails, etc.) tend to promote increased outdoor exercise. The respondents who live further from the urban green space reported decreased frequency of “green exercise”, but distance was not consistently linked to the duration of time spent exercising outdoors.

The boys interviewed reported that longer periods of green exercise led to more positive general health. For girls, more positive general health was associated with exercise trails and play equipment. In both groups, trees, open areas, and outdoor fitness equipment were associated with lower BMI.

To learn more about the many health benefits of being an “outsider” by spending time in community green space and your own backyard, check out the Living Landscapes Fact Book.