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Nature and Children's Health: A Systematic Review.
Amber L Fyfe-Johnson1, Marnie F Hazlehurst2, Sara P Perrins3
1Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, Washington State University, Spokane, Washington amber.fyfe-johnson@wsu.edu.
Pediatrics
|September 30, 2021
Summary
Daily outdoor play is vital for children. This review confirms that nature contact positively impacts children's physical activity and mental health, supporting pediatricians' recommendations for equitable access to green spaces.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Health
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
Background:
- Daily outdoor play is encouraged by the American Academy of Pediatrics.
- Evidence on the specific health effects of nature exposure in children is limited.
- Understanding the relationship between nature contact and child health is crucial for public health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically evaluate the existing evidence on the relationship between nature contact and various health outcomes in children.
- To identify the types of nature exposures and health outcomes with the strongest supporting evidence.
- To inform pediatricians and policymakers on the benefits of nature contact for child development.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature search was conducted across multiple databases (PubMed, CINAHL, PsycInfo, ERIC, Scopus, Web of Science) in February 2021.
- Studies were selected based on nature exposure and child health outcome terms, adhering to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines.
- Data extraction and quality/bias assessment were performed on 296 included studies from an initial pool of 10,940.
Main Results:
- Residential green space exposure showed the strongest evidence among nature types.
- Beneficial health effects were most evident for physical activity (55% objectively measured) and cognitive, behavioral, or mental health (41% experimental design).
- Heterogeneity in exposures and outcomes was noted, with most studies being cross-sectional (69%), limiting causal inference.
Conclusions:
- Current literature supports a positive association between nature contact and improved child health, particularly in physical activity and mental well-being.
- These findings underscore the importance of nature contact as a public health priority for children.
- Evidence supports pediatricians in advocating for policies that ensure equitable access to nature for children in their living, playing, and learning environments.
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