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Green Spaces Linked to Greater Human Health and Well-Being
Dr. Frances E. (Ming) Kuo, Associate Professor and Director of the Landscape and Human Health Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, recently published a monograph for the National Recreation and Park Association citing objective measures that link the presence of green spaces to greater human health and well-being. Kuo reported her research on identical housing developments, where scientists found that residents with views of concrete and asphalt had greater self-reported incidences of aggression and violence than their counterparts living with views of green space. In another study, Kuo found that children with ADHD who went for 20-minute walks in park settings performed as well on concentration tests afterwards as children who received common ADHD medications. Kuo is a nationally and internationally recognized scientist examining the impacts of the urban landscapes on human health, is a member of the SITES Technical Core Committee, and helped to author several of the credits in the SITES human health and well-being category.
School Gardens as a Strategy for Increasing Fruit and Vegetable Consumption
Erin Oxenham, MS, RD; and Amber D. King, MS, RD
Journal of child nutrition & management : a publication of the School Nutrition Association. 2010 Spring, v. 34, issue 1
School gardens as a form of nutrition education have become widespread. It is well known that children fall short of the daily recommended intake of fruit and vegetables. School-garden based programs show promise as a method of hands-on learning that promotes and increases fruit and vegetable consumption among school-aged children. There is little research, however, specific to the impact of school garden based programs on helping to explain why children choose the foods they do, the barriers to implementation of such programs and the feasibility of utilizing school grown produce in the school meal program. This paper reviews the impact of nutrition education interventions on children’s food choices, specifically that of school-based gardens, and provides recommendations for implementation of such programs and areas for further research.
Using Nature and Outdoor Activity to Improve Children's Health
Leyla E. McCurdy, MPhila, Kate E. Winterbottom, MPHa, Suril S. Mehta, MPHb, James R. Roberts, MD, MPHc
Childhood obesity affects 17% or 12.5 million of America's children, contributing to the rise in children's health disparities. Type 2 diabetes, asthma, vitamin D deficiency, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder have also increased over the past few decades. A shift toward a sedentary lifestyle is a major contributor to the decline in children's health. Children spend more time indoors using electronic media and less time engaged in outdoor unstructured play. This article reviews the current evidence of the mental and physical health benefits associated with unstructured, outdoor activities and time spent in a natural environment such as a park or other recreational area. Pediatric health care providers should recommend outdoor activities for children and refer families to safe and easily accessible outdoor areas. Pediatric health care providers can incorporate this simple, lifestyle-based intervention into anticipatory guidance.
Garden Program Reduces Youth Obesity
Santa Barbara, Calif., June 22, 2010 ~ Last year, 500 children at Franklin Elementary School in Santa Barbara, Calif., participated in the 10-week Eastside Wellness Program developed by the The Diabetes Resource Center. Students received nutrition education, participated in physical fitness activities, and helped maintain 10 raised-bed gardens based on Junior Master Gardener curriculum from Texas A&M University.
Among particpants, obesity decreased from 30 percent to 25 percent in one year, and the prevalence of overweight and obesity combined decreased from 55 percent to 42 percent. Among girls, obesity decreased from 26 percent to 19 percent, and obesity and overweight combined dropped from 48 percent to 38 percent.
A Healthy Nutrition Environment: Linking Education, Activity, and Food through School Gardens California Department of Education
An overview of the school garden program including its impact on children's health, nutrition, and academic achievement.
American Community Gardening Association The Case for a Community Greening Research Agenda 2009
Brings together some of the most accomplished researchers in the field to share their newest thoughts and insights. Features include interviews with Mark Francis, Kenneth Helphand and Frances Kuo. There's also a survey of abstracts of some of the most seminal research happening in the field, and an article by Marianne Krasny about kids and gardening.
American Community Gardening Assocation
Reports on property values, crime reduction, pilot study, public policy, citizenship
Assessing a Garden-based Curriculum for Elementary Youth in Iowa: Parental Perceptions of Change
Iowa State University Study
California School Garden Network
Research and Policy Supporting Garden-based Learning
Effect of the National Wildlife Federation's Schoolyard Habitat Program on Fourth Grade Students' Standardized Test Scores
Cornell University, Texas A&M University, Texas State University Study
Evaluation of the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation Program
Deakin University and University of Melbourne Joint Research Study, Australia
Growing Environmental Stewards: The Overall Effect of a School Gardening Program
2008 Texas A&M University Study
Growing Minds: The Effect of a School Gardening Program on the Science Achievement of Elementary Students
2005 National Gardening Assn & Texas State University Study
Kidsgardening.org Grant Evaluation Summary
Data on the impact of grants programs
Neighborhood Greenness and 2-Year Changes in Body Mass Index of Children and Youth
University of Washington, Indiana and Purdue Universities
School Gardens Grow Science Achievement Scores
National Science Teachers Assocation article
The Impact of Home and Community Gardening in America
The National Gardening Association surveyed 2,559 households nationwide on their awareness of and interest in providing gardening activities to children at school. Nineteen percent were aware of gardening activities for students at their local school. That contrasts with a majority of households (55 percent) that said gardening activities should be implemented whenever possible (35 percent), or should be implemented in every school (20 percent). See pages 15 and 16 more more insights.
School Garden History
Library of Congress Webcast and Transcript
Constance Carter, Head of the Science Reference Section
