Environmental Health Perspectives – Nature Contact and Human Health: A Research Agenda

Environmental Health Perspectives – Nature Contact and Human Health: A Research Agenda

The full research paper can be read through the hyperlink above

"According to the best available evidence, nature contact offers considerable promise in addressing a range of health challenges, including many, such as obesity, cardiovascular disease, depression, and anxiety, that are public health priorities. Nature contact offers promise both as prevention and as treatment across the life course. Potential advantages include low costs relative to conventional medical interventions, safety, practicality, not requiring dispensing by highly trained professionals, and multiple cobenefits. Few medications can boast these attributes."

New Public Health Wales reports says nearly a third of under-fives aren’t getting enough outdoor play

New Public Health Wales reports says nearly a third of under-fives aren’t getting enough outdoor play

The full article can be read through the hyperlink above

“There is increasing concern about the mental and physical health of children and young people. Research suggests that given the opportunity, children get wide-ranging exercise as well as a significant mental health benefits from freely chosen play.

“Children start their active lives through play. When given the opportunity to play, children are likely to be physically active by running, jumping, dancing, climbing, digging, lifting, pushing and pulling. For children, play can also be fun and relaxing, a way of relieving or having time away from anxiety and stress.”

Six winning "Playsages" for the 2017 International Garden Festival in Reford Gardens

Six winning "Playsages" for the 2017 International Garden Festival in Reford Gardens

The full research paper can be read through the hyperlink above

Quebec is still in the middle of winter, but the iconic Reford Gardens ..are already looking forward to warmer days ahead for the 2017 International Garden Festival this summer. In response to the all-too-familiar “nature-deficit disorder” in society these days, participants in this year's competition had to create inventive “Playsages” that would inspire, if not remind, today's tech-savvy kids to spend more time outdoors.

Outdoors and Active: Delivering public health outcomes by increasing children’s active travel and outdoor play. University of Bristol, UK

Microsoft Word - Briefing A4 booklet_print services.docx

The full research paper can be read through the hyperlink above

"This simple, low cost resident led intervention has immediate and long term benefits for children and the wider community. With widespread uptake, there is potential to   change the culture towards outdoor neighbourhood play being a normal part of  everyday life across the UK."

A study of kids’ screen time explains the vicious cycle that makes parents unable to say no — Quartz

A study of kids’ screen time explains the vicious cycle that makes parents unable to say no — Quartz

The full article can be read through the hyperlink above

“It’s like giving a kid a little bit of cocaine and telling them to be careful,” she says. In the survey, parents reported their kids spending nearly 19 hours a week in front of screens, more than two-and-a-half times the recommended dosage of media time—and Bernstein assumes that parents wildly underestimate their kids screen time.

“Kids should be involved in imaginative play but tech is the best babysitter in the world,” she says. One major benefit of the tech used for screen time: it’s a sunk cost. In other words, once you buy the device, and the necessary subscriptions, you don’t have to pay an ongoing rate. That’s much cheaper than hiring a human babysitter. But once kids are addicted, many parents feel it’s hard to get them un-addicted.