Recent research supported by the NIH ECHO program and published in JAMA Network Open indicates that young children raised in green environments experience enhanced mental well-being. The study suggests that exposure to natural settings from birth, such as parks, forests, and backyards, may lead to reduced emotional problems in children aged 2-5.
Green spaces can improve wellbeing of children
Researchers analyzed data from parents about their children’s behavior from ages two to 11 to explore the connection between mental health and time spent in nature. They compared this data with each family’s residential address at the child’s birth and satellite data on vegetation density around their homes.
The study found that increased green space within a certain distance from a child’s home was associated with reduced anxiety and depression symptoms in early childhood (ages 2-5). This connection persisted even after adjusting for factors like the parent’s education, child’s sex, and neighborhood socioeconomic status. However, there was no significant link between green space and mental health symptoms in later childhood (ages 6-11), possibly due to increased time spent at school during this period.
Findings indicate that being in nature benefits children, especially during early childhood, by potentially reducing symptoms of anxiety, depression, and aggression. Previous studies mainly concentrated on specific cities or adult health, while this study, utilizing nationwide data from the ECHO Program, analyzed information from children across 199 counties in 41 US states.
Higher NDVI associated with dense vegetation
The project focused on children born between 2007 and 2013, whose parents filled out the Child Behavior Checklist, a standard survey for assessing emotional and behavioral symptoms. The study involved 2,103 children aged two to 11 years old. Researchers focused on the assessment of green space exposure using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), a common method that measures vegetation density through sensor data.
Dr. Towe-Goodman suggests future research to explore the correlation between nature experiences and children’s early mental health. Additionally, investigating the impact of maintaining natural environments near residences and educational institutions on children’s mental well-being is recommended.
