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Lo GH, Patarini JC, Richard MJ, McAlindon TE, Kriska AM, Rockette-Wagner B, Eaton CB, Hochberg MC, Kwoh CK, Nevitt MC, Driban JB. Gardening/yardwork in people with knee osteoarthritis is not associated with symptom or structural progression over 48 months: data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative. Clin Rheumatol 2024; 43:1755-1762. [PMID: 38561590 DOI: 10.1007/s10067-024-06912-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the relationship of gardening/yardwork with symptomatic and structural progression in those with pre-existing radiographic knee osteoarthritis (OA) in the Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI), an observational study designed to evaluate potential and known biomarkers and risk factors of knee OA. METHODS We conducted a cohort study nested within the OAI, including participants ≥ 50 years old with radiographic OA in at least one knee at the time of OAI enrollment. A participant reported the level of gardening/yardwork activity in a self-administered survey. Logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association of gardening/yardwork on new frequent knee pain, Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) worsening, medial joint space narrowing (JSN) worsening, and improved frequent knee pain. RESULTS Of 1808 knees (1203 participants), over 60% of knees had KL grade = 2, 65% had medial JSN, and slightly more than a third had frequent knee symptoms. Gardeners/yardworkers and non-gardners/yardworkers had similar "worsening" outcomes for new knee pain (29% vs. 29%), KL worsening (19% vs. 18%), and medial JSN (23% vs. 24%). The adjusted odds ratio (OR) for the "worsening" outcomes of new knee pain, KL worsening, and medial JSN worsening were 1.0 (0.7-1.3), 1.0 (0.8-1.3), and 1.1 (0.9-1.4), respectively. The gardeners/yardworkers had an adjusted OR of 1.2 (0.9-1.7) for improved knee pain compared with non-gardners/yardworkers. CONCLUSION Gardening/yardwork is not associated with knee OA progression and should not be discouraged in those with knee OA. Key Points • Gardening/yardwork is not associated with knee OA symptomatic or structural progression. • Gardening/yardwork should not be discouraged in people with knee OA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace H Lo
- Department of Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, 1 Baylor Plaza, BCM-285, Houston, TX, USA.
- Medical Care Line and Research Care Line, Michael E. DeBakey Medical Center, Houston VA HSR&D Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness and Safety, Houston, TX, USA.
| | - Julieann C Patarini
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, & Immunology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael J Richard
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, & Immunology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Timothy E McAlindon
- Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, & Immunology, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Andrea M Kriska
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Charles B Eaton
- Department of Family Medicine, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
- Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health of Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Marc C Hochberg
- Department of Medicine and Epidemiology and Public Health, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - C Kent Kwoh
- University of Arizona Arthritis Center, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Michael C Nevitt
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jeffrey B Driban
- Department of Population and Quantitative Health Sciences, University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA
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Saito M, Kinoshita M, Sumimoto T, Tasaka T, Nakagawa H, Fujimoto K, Sato S, Fujisawa Y, Nishimura K, Miyake Y, Yamaguchi O. Association between gardening activity and frailty in patients with heart failure. Intern Med 2024:3628-24. [PMID: 38631852 DOI: 10.2169/internalmedicine.3628-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Frailty is common in patients with heart failure (HF). Given that gardening demands regular physical activity and offers therapeutic relaxation benefits, this activity may reduce frailty. We investigated the association between gardening activities and frailty in patients with HF. Methods, patients, or materials Between August 2022 and March 2023, we surveyed patients at risk of HF and those with HF who regularly attended a cardiology outpatient clinic. Gardening activities were defined as the ongoing cultivation of flowers, vegetables, or fruits for more than a year. The questionnaire assessed the presence or absence of gardening activities as well as the frequency, duration per session, years of experience, and scale of such activities. We calculated the frailty index. Frailty was defined as a frailty index of 0.25 or greater. Results Of the 1,277 respondents, 69% engaged in gardening and 35% were frail. After adjusting for multiple confounding factors, gardening activities showed an inverse association with frailty [odds ratio = 0.723, 95% confidence interval (0.533-0.981)]. Moreover, frailty and the frailty index showed an inverse association with more extended and large-scale gardening activities. Conclusion Gardening activities were thus found to be associated with a low prevalence of frailty in patients with HF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Makoto Saito
- Department of Cardiology, Kitaishikai Hospital, Japan
- Integrated Medical and Agricultural School of Public Health, Ehime University, Japan
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Sumiko Sato
- Department of Cardiology, Kitaishikai Hospital, Japan
| | - Yuki Fujisawa
- Department of Cardiology, Kitaishikai Hospital, Japan
- Department of Cardiology, Pulmonology, Hypertension and Nephrology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Kazuhisa Nishimura
- Department of Cardiology, Kitaishikai Hospital, Japan
- Department of Cardiology, Pulmonology, Hypertension and Nephrology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Miyake
- Integrated Medical and Agricultural School of Public Health, Ehime University, Japan
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan
| | - Osamu Yamaguchi
- Integrated Medical and Agricultural School of Public Health, Ehime University, Japan
- Department of Cardiology, Pulmonology, Hypertension and Nephrology, Ehime University Graduate School of Medicine, Japan
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Gulyas BZ, Caton SJ, Edmondson JL. Quantifying the relationship between gardening and health and well-being in the UK: a survey during the covid-19 pandemic. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:810. [PMID: 38486178 PMCID: PMC10941614 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-18249-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Rates of non-communicable diseases, including cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, and mental health problems, such as anxiety and depression, are high and rising in the urbanising world. Gardening could improve both mental and physical health and help prevent a range of conditions by increasing fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption, promoting physical activity, and reducing stress. However, good quality quantitative research in the area is scarce, and our understanding of the role of allotments and home gardens, and the effects of the level of engagement in gardening and involvement with food production has thus far been limited. METHODS We quantitatively assess the relationship between home and allotment gardening and various indicators and predictors of health and well-being using an online survey of gardeners (n = 203) and non-gardeners (n = 71) in the UK. The survey was composed of multiple validated questionnaires (including the Short Form Food Frequency Questionnaire (SFFFQ), the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS), the Physical Health Questionnaire (PHQ) and the Self-Rated Health question (SRH)) and self-defined questions relating to participants' involvement with gardening and food production, and relevant demographic and lifestyle factors. Data were analysed using a series of hierarchical logistic and multiple linear regression models adjusting for socio-demographic variables. RESULTS After adjusting for relevant socio-demographic factors, gardening related variables were associated with better self-rated health, higher mental well-being, increased F&V consumption. Higher F&V intake was in turn also associated with better self-rated health and decreased odds of obesity. Thus, gardening had a positive association with four different aspects of health and well-being, directly or indirectly via increased F&V consumption. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that gardening in UK allotments and domestic gardens may promote different aspects of health and well-being via multiple mechanisms. Improving access to growing space and promoting regular gardening could provide a range of benefits to public health. More research on how socio-economic factors influence the health and well-being benefits of gardening will help policymakers devise strategies to maximise these benefits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boglarka Z Gulyas
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, S10 2TN, Sheffield, UK
- Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research (SCHARR), School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, S10 2TN, Sheffield, UK
| | - Samantha J Caton
- Sheffield Centre for Health and Related Research (SCHARR), School of Medicine and Population Health, University of Sheffield, S10 2TN, Sheffield, UK
| | - Jill L Edmondson
- Plants, Photosynthesis and Soil, School of Biosciences, University of Sheffield, S10 2TN, Sheffield, UK.
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Panțiru I, Ronaldson A, Sima N, Dregan A, Sima R. The impact of gardening on well-being, mental health, and quality of life: an umbrella review and meta-analysis. Syst Rev 2024; 13:45. [PMID: 38287430 PMCID: PMC10823662 DOI: 10.1186/s13643-024-02457-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/31/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gardening and horticultural therapy (HT) has been widely recognised as a multicomponent approach that has affected a broad range of health and well-being outcomes. The aim of this umbrella review and meta-analysis was to compare the findings of previous reviews on the impact of multiple gardening interventions and gardening attributes on different well-being constructs. METHODS Electronic databases including PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, the Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar were searched from inception to December 2022. Interventional and observational reviews were eligible for inclusion in this umbrella review. Outcome measures included mental well-being, health status and quality of life. The key exposure variables were gardening and horticultural therapy. Narrative synthesis was used to evaluate the overall impact of gardening and HT on study outcomes. For a subsample of studies with available quantitative data, a random effect meta-analysis was conducted. RESULTS This umbrella review included 40 studies (10 interventional studies, 2 observational studies, and 28 mixed interventional and observational studies). The reviewed studies reported an overall positive impact of gardening activities on several measures of mental well-being, quality of life, and health status. Meta-analysis showed a significant and positive effect of gardening and HT activities on well-being (effect size (ES) 0.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.23, 0.87, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Evidence from observational and interventional studies supports a positive role for gardening and HT activities on well-being and general health. Interventional studies with horticultural-based therapies were effective in improving well-being and quality of life both in the general population and vulnerable subgroups. The high degree of heterogeneity in the included studies cautions against any direct clinical implications of the study findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- I Panțiru
- Department of Horticulture and Landscape, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca-Napoca, Romania
| | - A Ronaldson
- Centre for Implementation Science, Health Service and Population Research Department, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, UK
| | - N Sima
- Department of Technological Sciences, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca-Napoca, Romania
| | - A Dregan
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, London, UK
| | - R Sima
- Department of Horticulture and Landscape, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca-Napoca, Romania.
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Beavers AW, Kennedy AO, Blake JP, Comstock SS. Development and evaluation of food preservation lessons for gardeners: application of the DESIGN process. Public Health Nutr 2023; 27:e23. [PMID: 38149788 PMCID: PMC10830356 DOI: 10.1017/s1368980023002926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/28/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study presents the development and evaluation of food preservation lessons for gardeners. DESIGN Lessons were developed using the DESIGN process, a nutrition education program planning framework. This study examines the effectiveness of this curriculum at increasing knowledge of proper food preservation practices and increasing participants' confidence in home food preservation, identifies challenges participants experienced with home food preservation and assesses the perceived influence of home food preservation on vegetable intake and aspects of food security. We used the DESIGN process developed by Contento and Koch to develop the curricula and used social cognitive theory to guide the lesson development. Lessons on three types of food preservation (freezing, water bath canning and pressure canning) were developed and presented to adult gardeners. The evaluation consisted of post-lesson surveys and a follow-up survey several months after the lessons. SETTING Mid-Michigan, USA. PARTICIPANTS Adult gardeners. RESULTS Food preservation confidence increased following the lessons. At follow-up, 64 % of participants agreed or strongly agreed that they ate more fruit and vegetables because of preserving food, 57 % of respondents agreed or strongly agreed that they spend less money on food due to preserving, while 71 % reported being better able to provide food for themselves and their family. Lastly, 93 % reported feeling better about where their food comes from and wasting less food due to preserving. CONCLUSIONS This study provides evidence that home food preservation may be beneficial in promoting fruit and vegetable intake and food security among gardeners.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa W Beavers
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI48201, USA
| | - Allison O Kennedy
- Department of Nutrition and Food Science, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI48201, USA
| | - Jessica P Blake
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Sarah S Comstock
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
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Hassan A, Deshun Z. Promoting adult health: the neurophysiological benefits of watering plants and engaging in mental tasks within designed environments. BMC Psychol 2023; 11:310. [PMID: 37803410 PMCID: PMC10557185 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-023-01362-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Indoor, sedentary lifestyles have disconnected individuals from nature, necessitating interventions to reestablish this bond. Performing horticultural activities, such as watering houseplants, offers a potential solution. This study sought to determine how participating in horticulture activities affected adults' cognitive and emotional moods. METHODS We compared the benefits of watering houseplants (a gardening task) to those of standing while performing a computer task (a mental task). Chinese participants, aged 20 to 21 years, were recruited; their physiological and psychological reactions were measured using electroencephalograms, blood pressure assessments, and psychological assessments. RESULTS Fifty participants were included. Watering indoor plants significantly reduced blood pressure, without affecting pulse rate. During the plant watering task as opposed to the mental activity, more dramatic different patterns of very high alpha and beta brainwave activity were identified. Participants reported increased happiness following gardening activities. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study highlight the substantial relaxation benefits, both mental and physical, associated with the simple act of watering indoor plants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmad Hassan
- College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
| | - Zhang Deshun
- College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, 1239 Siping Road, Shanghai, People's Republic of China.
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Veldheer S, Whitehead-Zimmers M, Bordner C, Weinstein O, Choi H, Spreenberg-Bronsoms K, Davis J, Conroy DE, Schmitz KH, Sciamanna C. Growing Healthy Hearts: a single-arm feasibility study of a digitally delivered gardening, cooking, and nutrition intervention for adults with risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Pilot Feasibility Stud 2023; 9:152. [PMID: 37653532 PMCID: PMC10470136 DOI: 10.1186/s40814-023-01380-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Food gardening may positively influence cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk-related behaviors. However, the vast majority of existing gardening interventions have used an in-person delivery model which has limitations for scalability. It is not known whether a digitally delivered gardening intervention would be feasible or acceptable to participants. The purpose of this pilot study was to assess the feasibility of a digitally delivered gardening intervention in three domains: participant acceptability, demand, and practicality. METHODS A single-arm, pre-post-study design was used. Participants (n = 30) were aged 20 + with no plans to garden in the coming season and had at least 1 CVD risk factor. The intervention included ten 1-h video-conferencing sessions, written materials, and access to a study website. Content focused on gardening skills, cooking skills, and the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. Feasibility outcomes included acceptability (post-program ratings), demand (session attendance rate), and practicality (ability to start a garden and grow F&V). The study was considered feasible if the following criteria were met: ≥ 70% rated the intervention as good or excellent, overall session attendance rate was ≥ 70%, and > 70% were able to start a garden and grow F&V. We also assessed pre-post-program changes in behavioral mediators (gardening confidence, gardening enjoyment, cooking confidence, and nutrition knowledge). Descriptive statistics were calculated. Pre-post differences were evaluated with means and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI). Effect sizes were calculated (Cohen's d). RESULTS All feasibility criteria were met. A total of 93.3% of participants rated the intervention as good or excellent, 96% started a garden and grew F&V, and the overall session attendance rate was 81%. The largest mean pre-post changes were in gardening confidence (pre 7.1 [95% CI: 6.4, 7.9], post 9.0 [95% CI: 8.6, 9.5], Cohen's d = 1.15), gardening enjoyment (pre: 6.3 [95% CI: 5.9, 6.7], post: 7.5 [95% CI: 7.1, 7.9], Cohen's d = 1.69), and cooking self-efficacy (pre: 4.7 [95% CI: 4.3, 5.1], post: 7.7 [95% CI: 7.3, 8.0], Cohen's d = 3.0). CONCLUSION A digitally delivered gardening intervention was feasible, acceptable to participants, and they had meaningful changes in behavioral mediators. The next step is to evaluate the impact of the intervention in a future randomized controlled trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Veldheer
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA.
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA.
| | | | - Candace Bordner
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
| | | | - Hena Choi
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA
| | | | - Jason Davis
- Department of Early, Middle, and Exceptional Education, Millersville University, Millersville, PA, USA
| | - David E Conroy
- Department of Kinesiology, Penn State University, State College, PA, USA
| | | | - Christopher Sciamanna
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA
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Vandyousefi S, Ranjit N, Landry MJ, Jeans M, Ghaddar R, Davis JN. Dietary Psychosocial Mediators of Vegetable Intake in Schoolchildren From Low-Income and Racial and Ethnic Minority US Families: Findings From the Texas Sprouts Intervention. J Acad Nutr Diet 2023; 123:1187-1196.e1. [PMID: 36996935 PMCID: PMC10524147 DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2023.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Numerous school-based interventions have used cooking and gardening approaches to improve dietary intake; however, research is limited on the mediation effect of dietary psychosocial factors on the link between the intervention and increased vegetable intake, particularly in children from low-income and racial and ethnic minority US families. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to examine the effects of the Texas Sprouts intervention on dietary psychosocial factors related to intake of vegetables, and whether these psychosocial factors mediate the link between the intervention and increased intake of vegetables in schoolchildren from low-income and racial and ethnic minority US families. DESIGN This was an analysis of data on secondary outcomes from the Texas Sprouts program, a 1-year school-based gardening, nutrition, and cooking cluster randomized controlled trial consisting of elementary schools that were randomly assigned to either the Texas Sprouts intervention or to control. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING Participants were 2,414 third- through fifth-grade students from low-income and racial and ethnic minority US families from 16 schools (8 intervention and 8 control) in Austin, TX. INTERVENTION The intervention group received eighteen 60-minute gardening, nutrition, and cooking student lessons in an outdoor teaching garden and 9 monthly parent lessons throughout the academic year. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Child psychosocial and dietary measures were collected at baseline and post intervention via validated questionnaires. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED Generalized linear mixed models assessed the intervention effects on dietary psychosocial factors. Mediation analyses examined whether these psychosocial factors mediated the link between the intervention and increased child vegetable intake. RESULTS Children in Texas Sprouts, compared with controls, showed significant increases in the mean scores of gardening attitudes, cooking self-efficacy, gardening self-efficacy, nutrition and gardening knowledge, and preferences for fruit and vegetables (all, P < .001). Each of the dietary psychosocial factors mediated the association between the Texas Sprouts intervention and child vegetable intake. CONCLUSIONS Besides targeting dietary behaviors, future school-based interventions should also focus on understanding the mechanisms through which teaching children to cook and garden influence dietary psychosocial factors as mediators of change in healthy eating behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarvenaz Vandyousefi
- Department of Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, New York.
| | - Nalini Ranjit
- Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health, Austin, Texas
| | - Matthew J Landry
- Stanford University, School of Medicine, Stanford Prevention Research Center, Palo Alto, California
| | - Matthew Jeans
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Reem Ghaddar
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Jaimie N Davis
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
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Veldheer S, Tuan WJ, Al-Shaar L, Wadsworth M, Sinoway L, Schmitz KH, Sciamanna C, Gao X. Gardening Is Associated With Better Cardiovascular Health Status Among Older Adults in the United States: Analysis of the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey. J Acad Nutr Diet 2023; 123:761-769.e3. [PMID: 36323395 PMCID: PMC10752423 DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2022.10.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gardening benefits health in older adults, but previous studies have limited generalizability or do not adequately adjust for sociodemographic factors or physical activity (PA). OBJECTIVE We examined health outcomes, fruits and vegetables (F&V) intake, and 10-year mortality risk among gardeners and exercisers compared with nonexercisers. DESIGN Cross-sectional data of noninstitutionalized US adults in the 2019 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System was collected via landline and cellular phone survey. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING Adults 65 years and older reporting any PA (n = 146,047) were grouped as gardeners, exercisers, or nonexercisers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Outcomes included cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, mental and physical health, F&V intake, and 10-year mortality risk. STATISTICAL ANALYSES Summary statistics were calculated and adjusted logistic regression models were conducted to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) and 95% CIs, accounting for the complex survey design. RESULTS The sample included gardeners (10.2%), exercisers (60.0%), and nonexercisers (30.8%). Gardeners, compared with nonexercisers, had significantly lower odds of reporting all studied health outcomes and higher odds of consuming 5 or more F&V per day (CVD: aOR 0.60, 95% CI 0.53 to 0.68; stroke: aOR 0.55, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.64; heart attack: aOR 0.63, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.73, high cholesterol: aOR 0.86, 95% CI 0.79 to 0.93; high blood pressure: aOR 0.74, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.81; diabetes: aOR 0.51, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.56; body mass index ≥25: aOR 0.74, 95% CI 0.68 to 0.80; poor mental health status: aOR 0.50, 95% CI 0.43 to 0.59; poor physical health status: aOR 0.35, 95% CI 0.31 to 0.39; 5 or more F&V per day: aOR 1.56, 95% CI 1.40 to 1.57; high 10-year mortality risk: aOR 0.39, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.42). Male and female gardeners had significantly lower odds of reporting diabetes even when compared with exercisers. CONCLUSIONS Among adults 65 years and older, gardening is associated with better CVD health status, including lower odds of diabetes. Future longitudinal or interventional studies are warranted to determine whether promoting gardening activities can be a CVD risk reduction strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan Veldheer
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania; Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania.
| | - Wen-Jan Tuan
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
| | - Laila Al-Shaar
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
| | - Martha Wadsworth
- Department of Psychology, Penn State University, State College, Pennsylvania
| | - Lawrence Sinoway
- Department of Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
| | - Kathryn H Schmitz
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania; Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
| | - Christopher Sciamanna
- Department of Public Health Sciences, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania; Department of Medicine, Penn State College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania
| | - Xiang Gao
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, Fudan University, Shanhai, China; Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, Fudan University, Shanhai, China; Key Laboratory of Public Health Safety of the Ministry of Education, Fudan University, Shanhai, China
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Davis JN, Nikah K, Landry MJ, Vandyousefi S, Ghaddar R, Jeans M, Cooper MH, Martin B, Waugh L, Sharma SV, van den Berg AE. Effects of a School-Based Garden Program on Academic Performance: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial. J Acad Nutr Diet 2023; 123:637-642. [PMID: 35998864 DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2022.08.125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND School gardening programs have consistently been found to improve dietary behaviors in children. Although several quasi-experimental studies have also reported that school gardens can enhance academic performance, to date, no randomized controlled trial has been conducted to substantiate this. OBJECTIVE The objective of the study was to examine the effects of Texas Sprouts (TX Sprouts), a gardening, nutrition, and cooking program vs control on academic performance in primarily low-income, Hispanic children. DESIGN This is a secondary analysis of the grade-level academic scores from schools that participated in the TX Sprouts program, a school-based cluster randomized controlled trial, consisting of 16 elementary schools that were randomly assigned to either the TX Sprouts intervention (n = 8 schools) or control (delayed intervention; n = 8 schools). PARTICIPANTS/SETTING Analysis included 16 schools with students in fourth and fifth grade in Austin, TX from 2016 to 2019 that had a majority Hispanic population and a majority of children participating in the free and reduced lunch program. INTERVENTION The intervention consisted of 18 one-hour gardening, nutrition, and cooking lessons taught in an outdoor teaching garden by trained educators throughout the academic year. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Texas Education Agency grade-level data for the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness were obtained via the Texas Education Agency website for the corresponding year of the intervention or control condition. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS PERFORMED Repeated measures general linear models with pre- and post-intervention State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness scores as the dependent variable were run, adjusting for the percent of free and reduced lunch and school district as covariates. RESULTS Schools that received the TX Sprouts intervention had a 6.5-percentage-point increase in fourth-grade reading State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness scores compared with control schools (P = .047). There were no significant differences in reading scores for fifth grade students or math scores for either fourth- or fifth-grade students between groups. CONCLUSIONS Study findings provide evidence that school gardening programs may have some modest effects on academic achievement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaimie N Davis
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas.
| | - Katie Nikah
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Matthew J Landry
- Stanford Prevention Research Center, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California
| | - Sarvenaz Vandyousefi
- New York University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Division of General Pediatrics, Bellevue Hospital Center, New York, New York
| | - Reem Ghaddar
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Matthew Jeans
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | | | - Bonnie Martin
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, The University of Texas at Austin, Austin, Texas
| | - Lyndsey Waugh
- Sprouts Healthy Communities Foundation, Phoenix, Arizona
| | - Shreela V Sharma
- Department of Epidemiology, Human Genetics and Environmental Sciences, The University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, Texas
| | - Alexandra E van den Berg
- Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, The University of Texas School of Public Health, Austin, Texas
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Ainamani HE, Gumisiriza N, Bamwerinde WM, Rukundo GZ. Gardening activity and its relationship to mental health: Understudied and untapped in low-and middle-income countries. Prev Med Rep 2022; 29:101946. [PMID: 35991326 PMCID: PMC9389296 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2022.101946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 07/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing awareness among researchers and health practitioners from high income countries about the potential mental health benefits of participating in gardening activities and spending substantial time in green spaces. However, this phenomenon is not well established in low- and middle-income countries. In this commentary, we discuss the evidence base surrounding the potential mental health benefits of participating in gardening activity and spending substantial time in a green space. We hope to stimulate discourse about incorporating these activities into mental health prevention in low- and middle-income countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Herbert E Ainamani
- Department of Mental Health, Kabale University School of Medicine, P. O. Box 317, Kabale, Uganda
| | - Nolbert Gumisiriza
- Department of Mental Health, Kabale University School of Medicine, Kabale, Uganda
| | - Wilson M Bamwerinde
- Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Kabale University, Kabale, Uganda
| | - Godfrey Z Rukundo
- Department of Psychiatry, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda
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12
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Cases MG, Blair CK, Hendricks PS, Smith K, Snyder S, Demark-Wahnefried W. Sustainability capacity of a vegetable gardening intervention for cancer survivors. BMC Public Health 2022; 22:1238. [PMID: 35733142 PMCID: PMC9215023 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-022-13644-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Health behavior interventions, especially those that promote improved diet and physical activity, are increasingly directed toward cancer survivors given their burgeoning numbers and high risk for comorbidity and functional decline. However, for health behavior interventions to achieve maximal public health impact, sustainability at both the individual and organizational levels is crucial. The current study aimed to assess the individual and organizational sustainability of the Harvest for Health mentored vegetable gardening intervention among cancer survivors. METHODS Telephone surveys were conducted among 100 cancer survivors (mean age 63 years; primarily breast cancer) completing one-of-two Harvest for Health feasibility trials. Surveys ascertained whether participants continued gardening, and if so, whether they had expanded their gardens. Additionally, surveys were emailed to 23 stakeholders (Cooperative Extension county agents, cancer support group leaders, and healthcare representatives) who were asked to rate the intervention's ability to generate sustained service and produce benefits over time using the eight-domain Program Sustainability Assessment Tool (PSAT). RESULTS The survey among cancer survivors (91.9% response rate) indicated that 85.7% continued gardening throughout the 12 months following intervention completion; 47.3% expanded their gardens beyond the space of the original intervention. Moreover, 5.5% of cancer survivors enrolled in the certification program to become Extension Master Gardeners. The survey among stakeholders generated a similar response rate (i.e., 91.3%) and favorable scores. Of the possible maximum of 7 points on the PSAT, the gardening intervention's "Overall Capacity for Sustainability" scored 5.7 (81.4% of the maximum score), with subscales for "Funding Stability" scoring the lowest though still favorably (5.0) and "Program Evaluation" scoring the highest (6.3). CONCLUSIONS Data support the sustainability capacity of the Harvest for Health vegetable gardening intervention for cancer survivors. Indeed, few interventions have proven as durable in terms of individual sustainability. Furthermore, Harvest for Health's overall organizational score of 5.7 on the PSAT is considered strong when compared to a previous review of over 250 programs, where the mean overall organizational PSAT score was 4.84. Thus, solutions for long-term funding are currently being explored to support this strong, holistic program that is directed toward this vulnerable and growing population. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02150148.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mallory G Cases
- University of California San Francisco Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Cindy K Blair
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, MSC07-4025, Albuquerque, NM, 87131, USA.
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
| | - Peter S Hendricks
- Department of Health Behavior, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Kerry Smith
- Alabama Cooperative Extension System, Auburn University, Auburn, AL, USA
| | - Scott Snyder
- School of Education, University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Wendy Demark-Wahnefried
- Department of Nutrition Sciences, School of Health Professions, UAB, Birmingham, AL, USA
- O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB, Birmingham, AL, USA
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Sia A, Tan PY, Wong JCM, Araib S, Ang WF, Er KBH. The impact of gardening on mental resilience in times of stress: A case study during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore. Urban For Urban Green 2022; 68:127448. [PMID: 34961812 PMCID: PMC8695851 DOI: 10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/15/2021] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
To curb the spread of Covid-19, Singapore, like other cities, had to impose movement restriction and social distancing measures that may affect the well-being of its residents. In this paper, we assessed the potential benefits of gardening on the mental well-being of Singapore residents, based on the concept of mental resilience. We hypothesized that gardening activities promote mental resilience. A survey was administered on 8,786 participants of a "Gardening with Edibles" programme, measuring their mental resilience status, engagement in gardening activities and socio-demographic information. The mental resilience scores of participants who engaged in weekly gardening were compared with the scores derived from another survey conducted during the pandemic on an online community comprising demographically representative respondents with an interest on Covid-19 related community care. The results showed that the mental resilience of those who gardened was statistically significantly higher than the online community. Within the gardening group, those with less than one hour of weekly gardening time had significantly lower scores in their total mental resilience, and five out of seven resilience factors, "emotional regulation", "relationship", "confidence", "positive thinking" and "spirituality", compared to those with more weekly gardening time, showing that the efficacy of the mediating effects may peak at a weekly gardening time of between one to four hours. Home gardening may be an effective way for people living in densely populated cities to interact with nature and build mental resilience during the pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelia Sia
- National Parks Board, Singapore, 1 Cluny Road, Singapore Botanic Gardens, 259569, Singapore
- National University of Singapore, Department of Psychological Medicine, NUHS Tower Block, Level 9, 1E Kent Ridge Road, 119228, Singapore
| | - Puay Yok Tan
- National Parks Board, Singapore, 1 Cluny Road, Singapore Botanic Gardens, 259569, Singapore
| | - John Chee Meng Wong
- National University of Singapore, Department of Psychological Medicine, NUHS Tower Block, Level 9, 1E Kent Ridge Road, 119228, Singapore
| | - Sophianne Araib
- National Parks Board, Singapore, 1 Cluny Road, Singapore Botanic Gardens, 259569, Singapore
| | - Wee Foong Ang
- National Parks Board, Singapore, 1 Cluny Road, Singapore Botanic Gardens, 259569, Singapore
| | - Kenneth Boon Hwee Er
- National Parks Board, Singapore, 1 Cluny Road, Singapore Botanic Gardens, 259569, Singapore
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Maddali HT, Irlitti A, Lazar A. Probing the Potential of Extended Reality to Connect Experts and Novices in the Garden. Proc ACM Hum Comput Interact 2022; 6:10.1145/3555211. [PMID: 38529475 PMCID: PMC10961949 DOI: 10.1145/3555211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
As extended reality (XR) systems become increasingly available, XR-based remote instruction is being adopted for diverse purposes in professional settings such as surgery and field servicing. Hobbyists have been well-studied in HCI and may similarly benefit from remote skill-sharing. However, little is known about how XR technologies might support expert-novice collaboration for skilled hobby activities. This paper examines the potential and limitations of XR to connect experts and novices for one such activity: gardening. Through two studies involving 27 expert and novice gardeners, we designed prototypes to understand 1) practitioner perceptions of XR and remote skill-sharing in the garden and 2) what kinds of interactions can be supported in XR for expert-novice groups. We discuss design opportunities and challenges for XR systems in supporting informal connecting interactions and meaningful sensory interactions with a remote environment during skill-sharing.
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Rinkevich B. Augmenting coral adaptation to climate change via coral gardening (the nursery phase). J Environ Manage 2021; 291:112727. [PMID: 33957417 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2021.112727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Unceasing climate change and anthropogenic impacts on coral reefs worldwide lead the needs for augmenting adaptive potential of corals. Currently, the most successful approach for restoring degraded reefs is 'coral gardening', where corals are farmed in underwater nurseries, then outplanted to damaged reefs. Dealing with enhanced coral adaptation, the 'coral gardening' approach is conceptually structured here within a hierarchical list of five encircling tiers that include all restoration activities, focusing on the nursery phase. Each tier encompasses all the activities performed in the levels below it hierarchically. The first is the 'coral mariculture' tier, followed by the 'ecological engineering' tier. The third is the adaptation-based reef restoration (ABRR) tier, preceding the fourth ('ecosystem seascape') and the fifth ('ecosystem services') tiers. The ABRR tier is further conceptualized and its constituent five classes (phenotypic plasticity, assisted migration, epigenetics, coral chimerism, holobiont modification) are detailed. It is concluded that the nursery phase of the 'gardening' tenet may further serve as a platform to enhance the adaptation capacities of corals to climate change through the five ABBR classes. Employing the 'gardening' tiers in reef restoration without considering ABRR will scarcely be able to meet global targets for healthy reef ecosystems in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baruch Rinkevich
- Israel Oceanography and Limnological Research, National Institute of Oceanography, Tel Shikmona, PO Box 9753, Haifa, 3109701, Israel.
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16
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Matijevic P. Searching for the plot: narrative self-making and urban agriculture during the economic crisis in Slovenia. Agric Human Values 2021; 39:301-314. [PMID: 34334942 PMCID: PMC8302963 DOI: 10.1007/s10460-021-10248-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/09/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Analyses of household urban agriculture have demonstrated a wealth of personal, economic, social, moral or political uses for self-provisioned food, yet have often understood the practice itself as merely a production process. This 'means-to-an-end' perspective is especially pronounced in studies of locations undergoing economic hardship. Urban gardening in postsocialist Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union has been framed as an element of an informal economy, enabling household savings, access to informal networks and avoidance of industrial goods deemed ethically dubious. In this article, I present evidence from participant observation and interviews with urban gardeners conducted in 2014-2015 in Ljubljana, Slovenia, where urban agriculture proliferated during the European debt crisis that began in 2009. I interpret the material through an ecological perspective that focuses on labour in nature and highlights the interconnected, situated role of the gardener. My analysis of gardening styles, behaviours, attitudes and life-narratives of long-term urban growers challenges the utilitarian interpretation by arguing that urban agriculture in Ljubljana is in fact a means in itself-not an informal economy, but a narrative practice. While undertaken to ameliorate the effects of economic hardship, household urban agriculture first and foremost promotes individual wellbeing and restores a stable sense of self. I outline a series of self-making benefits of working with cultivated, edible nature that helped gardeners reconstruct their biographies after their previously established self-making processes collapsed in the economic downturn.
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17
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Ng TKS, Gan DRY, Mahendran R, Kua EH, Ho RCM. Social connectedness as a mediator for horticultural therapy's biological effect on community-dwelling older adults: Secondary analyses of a randomized controlled trial. Soc Sci Med 2021; 284:114191. [PMID: 34271401 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2021.114191] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 06/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Elevated levels of inflammatory marker and a lack of social connectedness are two prominent risk factors for developing dementia and depression. Horticultural therapy (HT) has been shown to improve social connectedness and inflammatory markers. However, the underpinning mechanisms of HT remained unknown. Within this study, we hypothesized that improved social connectedness mediates the effects of HT on IL-6 levels. METHODS The present study is a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial investigating the bio-psycho-social effects of HT. Social connectedness was operationalized as positive relationships with others (PRWO), a sub-scale of the Ryff's scale of psychological well-being. IL-6 was quantified using a commercial ELISA kit. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 3-month and 6-month post-intervention. Mediation analyses with bootstrapping were run to investigate our primary hypothesis. All analyses were controlled for covariates. RESULTS We recruited 59 participants (78% women; 67.10 ± 4.31 years). 29 participants partook in HT and 30 participants were included in the waitlist control group. At baseline, social connectedness was significantly correlated with IL-6 levels (β = -0.12, 95% CI = -0.21 to -0.03, p = 0.008). Furthermore, social connectedness at 3-month significantly mediated the effects of HT on IL-6 levels at 6-month (β = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.09 to 0.54, p = 0.005; β = -0.25, 95% CI = -0.45 to -0.05, p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight the critical roles of social connectedness as a social determinant of health in eliciting HT's biological effects. When administering HT, interventionalists should consider social connectedness as a modifiable factor for ameliorating increased inflammation in older adults.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ted Kheng Siang Ng
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road, NUHS Tower Block, 119228, Singapore.
| | - Daniel R Y Gan
- Real Estate Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at the Gerontology Research Centre, Simon Fraser University, #2800-515 West Hastings St, Vancouver, B.C, V6B 5K3, Canada
| | - Rathi Mahendran
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road, NUHS Tower Block, 119228, Singapore; Department of Psychological Medicine, National University Hospital, 1E Kent Ridge Road, NUHS Tower Block, 119228, Singapore; Academic Development Department, Duke-NUS Medical School, 8 College Road, Singapore
| | - Ee Heok Kua
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road, NUHS Tower Block, 119228, Singapore; Department of Psychological Medicine, National University Hospital, 1E Kent Ridge Road, NUHS Tower Block, 119228, Singapore
| | - Roger C-M Ho
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 1E Kent Ridge Road, NUHS Tower Block, 119228, Singapore; Department of Psychological Medicine, National University Hospital, 1E Kent Ridge Road, NUHS Tower Block, 119228, Singapore
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18
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Casanelles-Abella J, Frey D, Müller S, Aleixo C, Alós Ortí M, Deguines N, Hallikma T, Laanisto L, Niinemets Ü, Pinho P, Samson R, Villarroya-Villalba L, Moretti M. A dataset of the flowering plants (Angiospermae) in urban green areas in five European cities. Data Brief 2021; 37:107243. [PMID: 34307807 DOI: 10.1016/j.dib.2021.107243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
This article summarizes the data of a survey of flowering plants in 80 sites in five European cities and urban agglomerations (Antwerp, Belgium; greater Paris, France; Poznan, Poland; Tartu, Estonia; and Zurich, Switzerland). Sampling sites were selected based on a double orthogonal gradient of size and connectivity and were urban green areas (e.g. parks, cemeteries). To characterize the flowering plants, two sampling methodologies were applied between April and July 2018. First, a floristic inventory of the occurrence of all flowering plants in the five cities. Second, flower counts in sampling plots of standardized size (1 m2) only in Zurich. We sampled 2146 plant species (contained in 824 genera and 137 families) and across the five cities. For each plant species, we provide its origin status (i.e. whether the plants are native from Europe or not) and 11 functional traits potentially important for plant-pollinator interactions. For each study site, we provide the number of species, genera, and families recorded, the Shannon diversity as well as the proportion of exotic species, herbs, shrubs and trees. In addition, we provide information on the patch size, connectivity, and urban intensity, using four remote sensing-based proxies measured at 100- and 800-m radii.
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Ogura A, Izawa KP, Tawa H, Kureha F, Wada M, Harada N, Ikeda Y, Kimura K, Kondo N, Kanai M, Kubo I, Yoshikawa R, Matsuda Y. Older phase 2 cardiac rehabilitation patients engaged in gardening maintained physical function during the COVID-19 pandemic. Heart Vessels 2021; 37:77-82. [PMID: 34152441 PMCID: PMC8215626 DOI: 10.1007/s00380-021-01892-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to clarify the effects of gardening on hemodynamic response, rating of perceived exertion (RPE) during exercise, and body weight in patients in whom phase 2 cardiac rehabilitation (CR) was interrupted due to the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Among 76 outpatients participating in consecutive phase 2 CR in both periods from March to April and June to July 2020, which were before and after CR interruption, respectively, at Sanda City Hospital were enrolled. The inclusion criterion was outpatients whose CR was interrupted due to COVID-19. Patients under the age of 65 were excluded. We compared the data of hemodynamic response and RPE during exercise on the last day before interruption and the first day after interruption when aerobic exercise was performed at the same exercise intensity in the gardener group and the non-gardener group. Forty-one patients were enrolled in the final analysis. After CR interruption, the gardener group did not show any significant difference in all items, whereas the non-gardener group experienced significant increase in HR (Peak) (p = 0.004) and worsening of the Borg scale scores for both dyspnea and lower extremity fatigue (p = 0.039 and p = 0.009, respectively). Older phase 2 CR patients engaged in gardening did not show any deterioration in hemodynamic response or RPE during exercise, despite CR interruption and refraining from going outside. Gardening may be recommended as one of the activities that can maintain or improve physical function in older phase 2 CR patients during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asami Ogura
- Department of Rehabilitation, Sanda City Hospital, Sanda, Japan
- Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, 10-2 Tomogaoka 7-chome Suma, Kobe, 654-0142, Japan
- Cardiovascular Stroke Renal Project (CRP), Kobe, Japan
| | - Kazuhiro P Izawa
- Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, 10-2 Tomogaoka 7-chome Suma, Kobe, 654-0142, Japan.
- Cardiovascular Stroke Renal Project (CRP), Kobe, Japan.
| | - Hideto Tawa
- Department of Cardiology, Sanda City Hospital, Sanda, Japan
| | - Fumie Kureha
- Department of Cardiology, Sanda City Hospital, Sanda, Japan
| | - Masaaki Wada
- Department of Rehabilitation, Sanda City Hospital, Sanda, Japan
| | - Nobuko Harada
- Department of Nursing, Sanda City Hospital, Sanda, Japan
| | - Yuki Ikeda
- Department of Nursing, Sanda City Hospital, Sanda, Japan
| | - Kaemi Kimura
- Department of Nursing, Sanda City Hospital, Sanda, Japan
| | - Naomi Kondo
- Department of Nursing, Sanda City Hospital, Sanda, Japan
| | - Masashi Kanai
- Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, 10-2 Tomogaoka 7-chome Suma, Kobe, 654-0142, Japan
- Cardiovascular Stroke Renal Project (CRP), Kobe, Japan
| | - Ikko Kubo
- Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe University, 10-2 Tomogaoka 7-chome Suma, Kobe, 654-0142, Japan
- Cardiovascular Stroke Renal Project (CRP), Kobe, Japan
| | | | - Yuichi Matsuda
- Department of Cardiology, Sanda City Hospital, Sanda, Japan
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Theodorou A, Panno A, Carrus G, Carbone GA, Massullo C, Imperatori C. Stay home, stay safe, stay green: The role of gardening activities on mental health during the Covid-19 home confinement. Urban For Urban Green 2021; 61:127091. [PMID: 35702591 PMCID: PMC9186381 DOI: 10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/11/2021] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Social distancing and home confinement during the first wave of Covid-19 have been essential to helping governments to flatten the infection curve but raised concerns on possible negative consequences such as prolonged isolation or sedentary lifestyles. In this scenario, gardening activities have been identified as a plausible tool to buffer the mental health consequences of forced home confinement. In this paper, we investigate the relation between gardening and psychopathological distress during the lockdown of the first wave of Covid-19 in Italy. It is hypothesized that engagement in gardening activities promotes psychological health, through a reduction of Covid-related stress. An online survey was administered through sharing using social media to N = 303 participants during the March-May 2020 lockdown in Italy, measuring Covid-19 related distress, psychopathological distress, engagement in gardening activities plus a series of socio-demographic and residential covariates. As expected, a mediation model tested using a bootstrapping procedure showed that gardening is related to lower psychopathological distress through decreased Covid-19 related distress. Interestingly, results also showed that psychopathological distress was higher for women and unmarried respondents, and negatively associated with age and square meters per person at home. The theoretical and practical implications for social policies contrasting the Covid-19 pandemic are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Theodorou
- Department of Education, Experimental Psychology Laboratory, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Angelo Panno
- Department of Human Science, Cognitive and Clinical Psychology Laboratory, European University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Carrus
- Department of Education, Experimental Psychology Laboratory, Roma Tre University, Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Alessio Carbone
- Department of Human Science, Cognitive and Clinical Psychology Laboratory, European University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Massullo
- Department of Human Science, Cognitive and Clinical Psychology Laboratory, European University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Claudio Imperatori
- Department of Human Science, Cognitive and Clinical Psychology Laboratory, European University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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Abstract
'Plant blindness' stops people from recognizing the important role that plants play in society, and is acute when it comes to seeing how plants support health. The social sciences are beginning to explore how plants are imbricated in sociopolitical processes, including ones that produce health. This paper theorizes people-plant relations and the agency of plants in the production of health, drawing on data from a multispecies ethnography conducted in Toronto's largest social housing community during the 2018 growing season. The paper applies a posthumanist lens to find that food-producing plants in the area exert their agency and are health-supporting actors when collaborating with residents to advocate for community gardens and influence neighbourhood design. By arguing that plants are actual agents of change in sociopolitical processes, the article deepens an understanding of the health-supporting role of plants and provides empirical evidence for a view of health as a process, as opposed to a status, that is produced through relationships. The paper suggests that the term 'relational health' be used to describe a conception of health that recognizes that health is produced through interconnections and interdependencies, including between people and plants. The article contributes to discourses exploring the human health relationship to nature, including One Health.
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Niles MT, Wirkkala KB, Belarmino EH, Bertmann F. Home food procurement impacts food security and diet quality during COVID-19. BMC Public Health 2021; 21:945. [PMID: 34006243 PMCID: PMC8131171 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-021-10960-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Home food procurement (HFP) (i.e. gardening, fishing, foraging, hunting, backyard livestock and canning) have historically been important ways that people obtain food. Recently, some HFP activities have grown (e.g. gardening), while other activities (e.g. hunting) have become less common in the United States. Anecdotally, COVID-19 has sparked an increase in HFP evidenced by increased hunting licenses and shortages in seeds and canning supplies. HFP may have positive benefits for food security and diet quality, though research beyond gardening is especially limited in high-income countries. Methods We examine HFP activities since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and their relationship to food security and dietary quality using multivariable logit models and matching analysis with a statewide representative survey (n = 600) of residents of Vermont, United States. Results We find 29% of respondent households classified as food insecure since COVID-19, and higher prevalence of food insecurity among those experiencing a negative job change since COVID-19, households earning less than $50,000 annually, Hispanic and multi-race respondents. Nearly 35% of respondents engaged in HFP activities since the COVID-19 pandemic began; the majority of those gardened, and more than half pursued HFP activities more intensely than before the pandemic or for the first time. Food insecure households were more likely to pursue HFP more intensely, including more gardening, fishing, foraging, and hunting. Respondents who were food insecure, Black, Indigenous, People of Color, those with a negative job disruption, and larger households all had greater odds of increased intensity of HFP during the COVID-19 pandemic. HFP was significantly associated with eating greater amounts of fruits and vegetables; however, this effect was only significant for food secure households. Conclusion Overall, these results suggest that HFP activities have increased since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, and may be an important safety net for food insecure households. However, HFP for food insecure households does not translate into the same higher fruit and vegetable intake as found among food secure HFP households, suggesting this population may be trying to maintain intake, or that they may have potential important resource or technical assistance needs. Long-term, HFP activities may have important food security and diet quality impacts, as well as conservation implications, which should be more thoroughly explored. Regardless, the increased interest and intensity of HFP demonstrates opportunities for educational and outreach efforts. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12889-021-10960-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meredith T Niles
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences and Food Systems Program, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA. .,Gund Institute for Environment, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA.
| | - Kristen Brassard Wirkkala
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences and Food Systems Program, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
| | - Emily H Belarmino
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences and Food Systems Program, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
| | - Farryl Bertmann
- Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences and Food Systems Program, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT, 05405, USA
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23
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Dzhambov AM, Lercher P, Browning MHEM, Stoyanov D, Petrova N, Novakov S, Dimitrova DD. Does greenery experienced indoors and outdoors provide an escape and support mental health during the COVID-19 quarantine? Environ Res 2021; 196:110420. [PMID: 33157110 PMCID: PMC8454400 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly changed people's ability to recreate in public green spaces, which is likely to exacerbate the psychological impacts of the pandemic. In the current study, we seek to understand whether greenery can support mental health even with insufficient outdoor exposure in times of physical isolation from the outdoor environment. METHODS Between 17 May and 10 June, 2020, we conducted an online survey among 323 students (21.99 ± 3.10 years; 31% male) in health-related programs from two universities in the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. Severities of depressive and anxiety symptoms over the past two weeks were measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire 9-item and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale. We employed two self-reported measures of greenery experienced indoors (number of houseplants in the home and proportion of exterior greenery visible from inside the home) and two measures of greenery experienced outdoors (presence/absence of a domestic garden and availability of neighborhood greenery). Restorative quality of the home (the "being away" dimension of the Perceived Restorativeness Scale; PRS) and the neighborhood (the "being away" and "fascination" dimensions of the PRS), engagement with outdoor greenery (frequency of different types of interaction) and perceived social support were treated as mediators. Associations between greenery and mental health were tested using generalized linear regression and logistic regression. Structural equation modelling (SEM) techniques were used to test the theoretically-indicated relations among the variables. RESULTS Clinically-meaningful symptoms of moderate depression and anxiety were reported by approximately 33% and 20% of the students, respectively. The relative abundance of greenery visible from the home or in the neighborhood was associated with reduced depressive/anxiety symptoms and lower depression/anxiety rates. Having more houseplants or a garden was also associated with some of these markers of mental health. As hypothesized, the mental health-supportive effects of indoor greenery were largely explained by increased feelings of being away while at home. Neighborhood greenery contributed to neighborhood restorative quality, which in turn facilitated social support and more frequent engagement with greenery, and that led to better mental health. CONCLUSIONS Students who spent most of their time at home during the COVID-19 epidemic experienced better mental health when exposed to more greenery. Our findings support the idea that exposure to greenery may be a valuable resource during social isolation in the home. However, causal interpretation of these associations is not straightforward.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angel M Dzhambov
- Department of Hygiene, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
| | - Peter Lercher
- Institute for Highway Engineering and Transport Planning, Graz University of Technology, Graz, Austria
| | - Matthew H E M Browning
- Department of Park, Recreation, and Tourism Management, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, USA
| | - Drozdstoy Stoyanov
- Department of Psychiatry and Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Research Institute at Medical University - Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Nadezhda Petrova
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria; Department of Plant Physiology and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Biology, University of Plovdiv "Paisii Hilendarski", Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Stoyan Novakov
- Department of Human Anatomy, Histology and Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
| | - Donka D Dimitrova
- Department of Health Management and Healthcare Economics, Faculty of Public Health, Medical University of Plovdiv, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
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24
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Blair CK, Harding EM, Adsul P, Moran S, Guest D, Clough K, Sussman AL, Duff D, Cook LS, Rodman J, Dayao Z, Brown-Glaberman U, King TV, Pankratz VS, Servin E, Davis S, Demark-Wahnefried W. Southwest Harvest for Health: Adapting a mentored vegetable gardening intervention for cancer survivors in the southwest. Contemp Clin Trials Commun 2021; 21:100741. [PMID: 33659763 PMCID: PMC7896154 DOI: 10.1016/j.conctc.2021.100741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2020] [Revised: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Few diet and physical activity evidence-based interventions have been routinely used in community settings to achieve population health outcomes. Adapting interventions to fit the implementation context is important to achieve the desired results. Harvest for Health is a home-based vegetable gardening intervention that pairs cancer survivors with certified Master Gardeners from the Cooperative Extension Service with the ultimate goal of increasing vegetable consumption and physical activity, and improving physical functioning and health-related quality-of-life. Harvest for Health has potential for widespread dissemination since Master Gardener Programs exist throughout the United States. However, state- and population-specific adaptations may be needed to improve intervention adoption by other Master Gardener Programs. Our primary objective was to adapt this evidence-informed intervention that was initially incepted in Alabama, for the drastically different climate and growing conditions of New Mexico using a recommended adaptation framework. Our secondary objective was to develop a study protocol to support a pilot test of the adapted intervention, Southwest Harvest for Health. The adaptation phase is a critical first step towards widespread dissemination, implementation, and scale-out of an evidence-based intervention. This paper describes the adaptation process and outcomes, and the resulting protocol for the ongoing pilot study that is currently following 30 cancer survivors and their paired Extension Master Gardener mentors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cindy K. Blair
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | | | - Prajakta Adsul
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Sara Moran
- Extension Plant Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA
| | - Dolores Guest
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Kathy Clough
- Albuquerque Area Extension Master Gardener Program, NMSU Cooperative Extension Service, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Andrew L. Sussman
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Dorothy Duff
- Albuquerque Area Extension Master Gardener Program, NMSU Cooperative Extension Service, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Linda S. Cook
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Joseph Rodman
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Zoneddy Dayao
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Ursa Brown-Glaberman
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Towela V. King
- School of Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - V. Shane Pankratz
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- University of New Mexico Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Eduardo Servin
- Extension Plant Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM, USA
| | - Sally Davis
- Department of Pediatrics, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA
- University of New Mexico Prevention Research Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Wendy Demark-Wahnefried
- Department of Nutrition Sciences, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
- O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
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25
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Nocini R, Giampaoli G, Bertossi D. An unusual case of gardening ocular injury during Covid-19 lockdown. Int J Surg Case Rep 2021; 80:105619. [PMID: 33592406 PMCID: PMC7893445 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijscr.2021.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2020] [Revised: 01/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction Facial trauma are an important cause of serious ocular morbidity. In particular domestic trauma are a small part of total. COVID-19 pandemic has been influencing our life in a way never seen before, people need to remain at home due to lockdown restrictions. In this scenario we are seeing an increase in the percentage of domestic facial trauma. In other hand pandemic has influenced the possibility of hospitalization, so daily based procedures increased their importance in global treatment planning. Case presentation A 58 yo man presented to our ward with a foreign body in left eyebrow. Trauma happened during gardening. Clinical discussion The importance of imaging to perform the right procedure has become more important during pandemic to reduce time of hospitalization. Conclusion CT scan and ophtalmology consult have been the guideline to avoid a more invasive treatment which was performed in an outpatient regimen with local anesthesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Riccardo Nocini
- G.B. Rossi University Hospital AOUI Borgo Trento, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Paediatrics and Gynaecology, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giampaoli
- G.B. Rossi Hospital and Medical University of Verona, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Paediatrics and Gynaecology, University of Verona, Piazzale L.A. Scuro 10, 37134, Verona, Italy.
| | - Dario Bertossi
- G.B. Rossi Hospital and Medical University of Verona, Department of Surgery, Dentistry, Paediatrics and Gynaecology, University of Verona, Piazzale L.A. Scuro 10, 37134, Verona, Italy
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26
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Bell H, Chintalapati S, Patel P, Halim A, Kithas A, Schmalzle SA. Legionella longbeachae pneumonia: Case report and review of reported cases in non-endemic countries. IDCases 2021; 23:e01050. [PMID: 33511033 PMCID: PMC7817369 DOI: 10.1016/j.idcr.2021.e01050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2020] [Revised: 01/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Legionella longbeachae pneumonia is much less common than Legionella pneumophila pneumonia in most of the world and may evade timely diagnosis in settings that rely primarily on urine antigen testing, which detects Legionella pnuemophila serogroup 1 only. It is, however, widely recognized in Australia and New Zealand, where it is endemic and associated with exposure to compost and potting soils, rather than contaminated water systems as seen with L. pneumophila. L. longbeachae can cause a similar spectrum and severity of illness as L. pneumophila. Here we present a case of a 47-year-old man with L. longbeacheae necrotizing pneumonia following exposure to possibly contaminated soil from a wastewater treatment facility. Initial presentation included cough, chest pain, and dyspnea, and progressed to hypoxic respiratory failure, tension pneumothorax, and cardiac arrest. L. pneumophila urine antigen was negative, but bronchioalveolar lavage samples grew L. longbeachae on buffered charcoal yeast extract agar. A review of cases reported in the literature in non-endemic regions over a 20-year period identified 38 cases in Europe, 33 in Asia, and 8 in North America. Average age was 65, 65 % were male, and 35 % had potentially relevant environmental exposures. L. longbeachae should be considered in cases of severe community acquired pneumonia, particularly following a consistent environmental exposure or if initial testing for other pathogens is unrevealing. A thorough exposure history including questions about contact with potting soil or compost, and utilization of specialized agar for culture can both be key in identifying this pathogen.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harrison Bell
- University of Maryland School of Medicine, 655 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, United States
| | - Sai Chintalapati
- University of Maryland Medical Center, 22 South Greene Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, United States
| | - Preet Patel
- University of Maryland Medical Center, 22 South Greene Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, United States
| | - Ameer Halim
- University of Maryland Medical Center, 22 South Greene Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, United States
| | - Andrew Kithas
- University of Maryland Medical Center, 22 South Greene Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, United States
| | - Sarah A Schmalzle
- Institute of Human Virology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 725 West Lombard Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, United States.,University of Maryland School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, 655 West Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD, 21201, United States
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27
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Davis JN, Pérez A, Asigbee FM, Landry MJ, Vandyousefi S, Ghaddar R, Hoover A, Jeans M, Nikah K, Fischer B, Pont SJ, Richards D, Hoelscher DM, Van Den Berg AE. School-based gardening, cooking and nutrition intervention increased vegetable intake but did not reduce BMI: Texas sprouts - a cluster randomized controlled trial. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act 2021; 18:18. [PMID: 33485354 PMCID: PMC7825209 DOI: 10.1186/s12966-021-01087-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Although school garden programs have been shown to improve dietary behaviors, there has not been a cluster-randomized controlled trial (RCT) conducted to examine the effects of school garden programs on obesity or other health outcomes. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of a one-year school-based gardening, nutrition, and cooking intervention (called Texas Sprouts) on dietary intake, obesity outcomes, and blood pressure in elementary school children. METHODS This study was a school-based cluster RCT with 16 elementary schools that were randomly assigned to either the Texas Sprouts intervention (n = 8 schools) or to control (delayed intervention, n = 8 schools). The intervention was one school year long (9 months) and consisted of: a) Garden Leadership Committee formation; b) a 0.25-acre outdoor teaching garden; c) 18 student gardening, nutrition, and cooking lessons taught by trained educators throughout the school-year; and d) nine monthly parent lessons. The delayed intervention was implemented the following academic year and received the same protocol as the intervention arm. Child outcomes measured were anthropometrics (i.e., BMI parameters, waist circumference, and body fat percentage via bioelectrical impedance), blood pressure, and dietary intake (i.e., vegetable, fruit, and sugar sweetened beverages) via survey. Data were analyzed with complete cases and with imputations at random. Generalized weighted linear mixed models were used to test the intervention effects and to account for clustering effect of sampling by school. RESULTS A total of 3135 children were enrolled in the study (intervention n = 1412, 45%). Average age was 9.2 years, 64% Hispanic, 47% male, and 69% eligible for free and reduced lunch. The intervention compared to control resulted in increased vegetable intake (+ 0.48 vs. + 0.04 frequency/day, p = 0.02). There were no effects of the intervention compared to control on fruit intake, sugar sweetened beverages, any of the obesity measures or blood pressure. CONCLUSION While this school-based gardening, nutrition, and cooking program did not reduce obesity markers or blood pressure, it did result in increased vegetable intake. It is possible that a longer and more sustained effect of increased vegetable intake is needed to lead to reductions in obesity markers and blood pressure. CLINICAL TRIALS NUMBER NCT02668744 .
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaimie N Davis
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, 1400 Barbara Jordan Blvd, Austin, TX, 78723, USA.
| | - Adriana Pérez
- Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living - Department of Biostatistics and Data Science - The University of Texas Health (UTHealth) Science Center at Houston, Austin Campus, Austin, USA
| | - Fiona M Asigbee
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, 1400 Barbara Jordan Blvd, Austin, TX, 78723, USA
| | - Matthew J Landry
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, 1400 Barbara Jordan Blvd, Austin, TX, 78723, USA
| | - Sarvenaz Vandyousefi
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, 1400 Barbara Jordan Blvd, Austin, TX, 78723, USA
| | - Reem Ghaddar
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, 1400 Barbara Jordan Blvd, Austin, TX, 78723, USA
| | - Amy Hoover
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, 1400 Barbara Jordan Blvd, Austin, TX, 78723, USA
| | - Matthew Jeans
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, 1400 Barbara Jordan Blvd, Austin, TX, 78723, USA
| | - Katie Nikah
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, 1400 Barbara Jordan Blvd, Austin, TX, 78723, USA
| | - Brian Fischer
- Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living - Department of Biostatistics and Data Science - The University of Texas Health (UTHealth) Science Center at Houston, Austin Campus, Austin, USA
| | - Stephen J Pont
- Department of Pediatrics, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Daphne Richards
- Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, Travis County, Austin, USA
| | - Deanna M Hoelscher
- Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living - Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences - UTHealth Science Center at Houston, Austin Campus, Austin, USA
| | - Alexandra E Van Den Berg
- Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living - Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences - UTHealth Science Center at Houston, Austin Campus, Austin, USA
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Abstract
Objective To demonstrate techniques of laparoscopic surgery while all elective procedures are suspended. Design Stepwise demonstration of key skills required when gardening with minimal access techniques. Setting Gynecologist residence in self-isolation, Manchester, United Kingdom. Interventions Owing to the coronavirus disease pandemic, elective operations are currently suspended in the United Kingdom. In addition, there have been concerns regarding the safety of laparoscopic surgery and risk of transmission of the coronavirus disease [1,2]. As a result, laparoscopic surgeons are at risk of skill deterioration, and it is uncertain whether this may have an impact on patient safety when lockdown measures are de-escalated.Combining gardening, one of the major pastimes during the lockdown period, and minimal access surgical skills, this video demonstrates the different ways minimal access surgery may be applied to horticulture.In the first described technique, what the author believes to be hedge bindweed (Calystegia sepium) was excised using a grasper and a tripolar cutting device (Fig. 1). For obvious reasons diathermy is not available within the home environment, but the retractable cutting blade was used to efficiently slice through the stems required for weed removal. The disadvantage of this technique is clearly that the unwanted species is likely to regrow in 12 months.In the second described technique, dandelions (genus Taraxacum) (Fig. 2), which are native to Eurasia and North America, were excised at the flowering stage, thereby effectively preventing asexual reproduction by apomixis. The technique similarly uses the retractable blade of the tripolar cutting device.The third technique demonstrates harvesting of an unknown species using a soil dissection technique. To facilitate complete removal of the plant and to reduce the risk of recurrence, the roots are carefully dissected out using blunt dissection. As with many techniques, patience is of paramount importance.Last, ensuring hydration of plants is crucial to their early stage of development. Laparoscopic watering techniques are usually simplified when an irrigation and suction device is employed. However, within a low-resource setting a slow process of "cup feeding" is required and requires meticulous dexterity (Fig. 3). Unfortunately, during this demonstration a common complication of a loss of instrument occurred, but the subject was luckily successfully hydrated. Conclusion While a lockdown remains in place, many gynecologists are not able to maintain their laparoscopic surgical skills. It is important to combine activities of daily living with minimal access training to maintain our physical and mental well-being. More research is clearly needed in the area of minimal access horticulture to expand this new and exciting subspecialty.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Ma
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, St. Mary's Hospital, Manchester, United Kingdom (Dr. Ma)..
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29
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Lee AY, Kim SY, Kwon HJ, Park SA. Horticultural therapy program for mental health of prisoners: Case report. Integr Med Res 2020; 10:100495. [PMID: 33145166 PMCID: PMC7591733 DOI: 10.1016/j.imr.2020.100495] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The restricted environment in prison negatively affects psychological health of prisoners, which in turn affects the rehabilitation of the prisoners. Previous studies have shown that horticultural activities were effective in improving psychological health of prisoners. The objectives were to develop a horticultural therapy (HT) program and to determine the association of 12 sessions with participants’ psychological health using case analysis. Methods Five cases who were imprisoned at K correctional institution in Gyeonggi-do, South Korea participated in this study. They were diagnosed as a potential risk group of psychological health. The prisoners participated in a HT program once a week (12 weeks, 90 min per session) between April and June 2018 at K correctional institution. The program consisted of cultivation-centered horticultural activities. At the completion of the HT program, depression (Beck Depression Inventory), anger (State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory), self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale), and life satisfaction (Satisfaction with Life Scale) were evaluated. Positive changes were found through observations of interviews, workbooks, and emotional change checklists that were recorded in each session. Results We observed positive changes in the prisoners’ health conditions measured before and after participating in the HT program. The prisoners who participated in the HT program showed decreased depression (–2.6), and increased self-esteem (+1.2) and life satisfaction (+4.0). Conclusions The prisoner rehabilitation HT program was associated with improvements in the participants’ psychological health. Future efforts will be required to investigate the effects of an HT program with a larger sample size to perform statistical analysis for providing convincing evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- A-Young Lee
- Plant, Environment, and Health Lab, Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Soo-Young Kim
- National Institute of Biological Resources, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Hyuk Joon Kwon
- National Institute of Biological Resources, Incheon, South Korea
| | - Sin-Ae Park
- Plant, Environment, and Health Lab, Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Systems Biotechnology, Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea.,Department of Bio and Healing Convergence, Graduate School, Konkuk University, Seoul, South Korea
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Brainard J, Cooke R, Lane K, Salter C. Physical activity and retirement: original analysis of responses to the English Adult Active Lives Survey. Int J Public Health 2020; 65:871-80. [PMID: 32725395 DOI: 10.1007/s00038-020-01438-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Opportunities for older adults to do physical activity may depend on other commitments. We wanted to see if reported physical activity was higher or lower among older adults depending on work status: full-time, part-time work or retired. METHODS This is a secondary analysis of The Active Lives Survey 2016/17 in England. The dataset was used to see how active people were depending on employment or retirement status. Types of physical activity (PA) considered were: leisure, gardening, active travel and combined total, adjusted for age, sex, BMI, disability, rurality and deprivation in models using hurdle regression. Analysis was divided into mostly working age (under 65) or mostly retired (age 65 +) to have sensitivity to the likely transition point. RESULTS Total PA was significantly greater for retired persons compared to both full- and part-time workers age 55-64, while being retired or working part-time at age 65-74 meant more PA. People did more leisure or gardening with less work, but active travel decreased with fewer work hours, at all ages. Retirement meant more leisure and gardening PA but less active travel. CONCLUSIONS Demand for opportunities to engage in leisure and gardening PA appears to be high among retired people. Greater promotion of active travel in this cohort may be possible.
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31
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Wiles J, Miskelly P, Stewart O, Rolleston A, Gott M, Kerse N. Gardens as resources in advanced age in aotearoa NZ: More than therapeutic. Soc Sci Med 2020; 288:113232. [PMID: 32739097 DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2020.113232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Revised: 06/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/16/2020] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
For older people gardens may be paradoxical sites. Whilst gardening is associated in multiple ways with wellbeing and health, gardens may also become a source of frustration and worry as ageing bodies limit gardening activities. Yet determination remains. However, little of the well-established body of work on gardens and old age includes people in advanced age. In this paper, we draw on interviews with Māori and non-Māori 85-90-year olds in Aotearoa, New Zealand, focusing on how they talk about their wellbeing in relation to past, present, and future experiences of home gardening. Our research shows home gardens and gardening figure prominently and positively in the narratives of people in advanced age. Most of our participants described themselves as active gardeners; most also lived with multimorbidity, sometimes severe and complex. Applying positioning theory, we examine how our participants connect gardens and gardening to identity; connectedness; and adaptation and renegotiation of health and wellbeing in ageing bodies. Home gardens are 'more than therapeutic'; while they are protective of health and wellbeing, they are also enabling places for the expression and performance of agency in advanced age. These understandings have practical implications for supporting wellbeing amongst those in advanced age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janine Wiles
- School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Street address: 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Mailing address: Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand.
| | - Philippa Miskelly
- School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Street address: 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Mailing address: Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Oneroa Stewart
- School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Street address: 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Mailing address: Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Anna Rolleston
- School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Street address: 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Mailing address: Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Merryn Gott
- School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Street address: 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Mailing address: Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
| | - Ngaire Kerse
- School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Street address: 22-30 Park Avenue, Grafton, Mailing address: Private Bag 92019, Auckland, 1142, New Zealand
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Abstract
This paper discusses social prescribing as part of the wider NHS England universal personalised care model, and it describes how community nurses can engage with social prescribing systems to support community resilience. A case study based on the example of gardening, as a nature-based social prescription provided by the RHS Bridgewater Wellbeing Garden, is provided to illustrate the scope, reach and impact of non-medical, salutogenic approaches for community practitioners. The authors argue that social prescribing and, in particular, nature-based solutions, such as gardening, can be used as a non-medical asset-based approach by all health professionals working in the community as a way to promote health and wellbeing. They consider how the negative impact of social distancing resulting from COVID-19 restrictions could be diluted through collaboration between a holistic, social prescribing system and community staff. The paper presents a unique perspective on how community nurses can collaborate with link workers through social prescribing to help combat social isolation and anxiety and support resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle Howarth
- Senior Lecturer in Nursing and Deputy Director (Programmes and training), University of Salford Manchester
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Scott TL, Masser BM, Pachana NA. Positive aging benefits of home and community gardening activities: Older adults report enhanced self-esteem, productive endeavours, social engagement and exercise. SAGE Open Med 2020; 8:2050312120901732. [PMID: 32030127 PMCID: PMC6977207 DOI: 10.1177/2050312120901732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 12/26/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Objectives This study examined relationships between home and community gardening and older adults' self-reported psychosocial and physical well-being, attitudes to aging relative to gardening activities and benefits of membership to a gardening group. Methods A survey addressing (a) demographic characteristics, (b) gardening interests and sentiments, (c) activities, (d) benefits, (e) self-rated health and quality of life and (f) attitudes to aging was administered online and via mail-out. Results Participants, 331 gardeners aged 60-95 years from Australia, reported numerous benefits from leisure gardening. According to multiple regression analysis, Restoration and Physical benefits were the strongest explanatory variables of participants' positive aging self-perceptions. Members of gardening groups reported significantly more social and physical benefits than non-members. Conclusion The current study provides support for promoting positive aging through gardening. Regardless of 'doing' gardening or simply 'being' in the garden, having contact with nature was key to attaining positive therapeutic benefits for this sample.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theresa L Scott
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Barbara M Masser
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
| | - Nancy A Pachana
- School of Psychology, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD, Australia
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Tsai M, Cushing DF, Brough M. "I've always lived in a place with gardens": Residents' homemaking experiences in Australian aged-care gardens. Health Place 2020; 61:102259. [PMID: 32329726 DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2019.102259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2019] [Revised: 11/13/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Gardens play a vital role in homemaking for many older people living in aged-care facilities. A garden is where residents can assert ownership, agency, and recall significant memories, especially after relocation in later life. This research addresses a gap in literature about aged-care gardens by expanding notions of therapeutic benefits. It adopts a phenomenological framework and applies unstructured interviews, Go-Along videorecording and digital storytelling for data collection. Findings suggest residents are not merely passive users of gardens, they are active creators, shaping their outdoor environment through gardening and creating meanings in their local landscape that contribute to their experience of being 'home'.
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Skelton K, Herbert A, Benjamin-Neelon SE. Garden-based interventions and early childhood health: a protocol for an umbrella review. Syst Rev 2019; 8:310. [PMID: 31810481 PMCID: PMC6896344 DOI: 10.1186/s13643-019-1229-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Garden-based interventions have the potential to impact young children's health in a number of ways, including enhancing dietary intake, increasing outdoor physical activity, diversifying the gut microbiome, and promoting general wellbeing. A number of recent systematic reviews have either included or focused on garden-based interventions for young children. However, most prior reviews including young children only focus on one health outcome or one setting, making a full summary of prior research assessing the impact of garden-based interventions nonexistent. As such, this umbrella systematic review aims to synthesize the literature on health outcomes of garden-based interventions for young children. METHODS This protocol outlines the systematic steps we will take to conduct an umbrella review on health-related outcomes of garden-based interventions in children younger than 6 years of age. We will systematically search PubMed, PsycINFO, ERIC, CINAHL, Embase, Scopus, OVID-Agricola, and CAB Direct, including all systematic reviews and meta-analyses fitting the pre-determined inclusion/exclusion criteria. We will double screen at each phase of the review: title/abstract, full text, data extraction, and quality appraisal. We will assess the quality of included reviews using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR 2). Based on the potential for stark variability in what how reviews report child health outcomes, we will analyze the reviews both narratively and quantitatively, reporting summary of findings tables and iteratively mapping the results. This protocol aligns with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses Protocols statement (PRISMA-P). DISCUSSION This umbrella review aims to summarize the role that garden-based interventions play in health promotion for young children. We will focus on a number of diverse child health outcomes in an effort to comprehensively synthesize the evidence to inform future garden-based interventions, research, and policy. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION PROSPERO CRD42019106848.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kara Skelton
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, HH904, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA.
| | - Ann Herbert
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, HH904, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Sara E Benjamin-Neelon
- Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, 624 N. Broadway, HH755, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
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Ornelas IJ, Osterbauer K, Woo L, Bishop SK, Deschenie D, Beresford SAA, Lombard K. Gardening for Health: Patterns of Gardening and Fruit and Vegetable Consumption Among the Navajo. J Community Health 2019; 43:1053-1060. [PMID: 29779075 DOI: 10.1007/s10900-018-0521-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
American Indians, including Navajo, are disproportionately affected by obesity and diabetes, in part due to diet-related health behaviors. The purpose of this study was to assess the patterns of gardening and fruit and vegetable (FV) consumption among residents in two communities on the Navajo Nation in order to inform a community gardening intervention. We analyzed survey data collected from participants in the Yéego Gardening study conducted in two communities in the Navajo Nation (N = 169). We found that 51% of the sample gardened, and on average participants gardened 8.9 times per month. Lack of time (53%) and financial barriers, such as gas for transportation or irrigation (51 and 49%, respectively), were reported as barriers to gardening. Most participants reported low levels of self-efficacy (80%) and behavioral capability (82%) related to gardening. Those with higher levels of gardening self-efficacy and behavioral capability reported more frequent gardening. Average daily FV consumption was 2.5 servings. Most participants reported high levels of self-efficacy to eat FV daily (64%) and high behavioral capability to prepare FV (66%). There was a positive association between FV consumption and gardening, with those gardening more than 4 times per month eating about 1 more serving of FV per day than those gardening 4 or fewer times per month. Further research is needed to better understand how gardening can increase fruit and vegetable availability and consumption among residents of the Navajo Nation.
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Affiliation(s)
- India J Ornelas
- Health Services, University of Washington, Box 359455, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA. .,Cancer Prevention, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, USA.
| | - Katie Osterbauer
- Nutritional Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Lisa Woo
- Nutritional Sciences, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Sonia K Bishop
- Cancer Prevention, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, USA
| | - Desiree Deschenie
- New Mexico State University Agricultural Science Center, Farmington, USA
| | - Shirley A A Beresford
- Cancer Prevention, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, USA.,Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Washington, Seattle, USA
| | - Kevin Lombard
- New Mexico State University Agricultural Science Center, Farmington, USA.,Plant and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, USA
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Moreno-Maroto JM, Camacho PN, Cotes-Palomino T, García CM, Alonso-Azcárate J. Manufacturing of lightweight aggregates from biomass fly ash, beer bagasse, Zn-rich industrial sludge and clay by slow firing. J Environ Manage 2019; 246:785-795. [PMID: 31228692 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.06.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Revised: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 06/11/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
A 70:30 black-white clay mixture (C) has been blended with different proportions of three wastes: bagasse from beer production (BG), a flux sludge used in galvanization (FS) and fly ash enriched to 60% with K2O from a biomass plant (FA). A complete characterization of the raw materials was performed. Mixtures of C and FA for 15, 17.5 and 20 wt% of K2O were blended with water, shaped into prismatic specimens, oven-dried, muffle-sintered at 1000-1200 °C, and finally crushed into lightweight aggregates (LWAs). The amounts of FA corresponding to K2O = 20% for a temperature, T, of 1000 °C (LWA variety C20K-1000) yielded the best technological properties: oven-dry density of 1.22 g/cm3, water absorption of 39.8% and open porosity of 48.6%. Therefore, other specimens containing BG and FS were sintered according to the same protocol considering K2O = 20% and T = 1000 °C. White aggregates were also obtained at 1000 °C (C-1000 variety) from C-mixture (without FS, FA and BG). The addition of BG (5,7 and 10 wt%) did not mean any improvement with respect to C20K-1000, and in the case of FS (25-40%), the development of red color was fostered, which could be interesting for gardening or ornamental purposes. A leaching test conducted on the aggregate with 40 wt% FS showed that the concentration of heavy metals was below the permitted environmental thresholds. Although the leachable Zn concentration of the aggregate (205 ppm) was reduced by 85% with respect to the original residue, it is still high enough for crops that demand this metal. The outcome of this investigation proves the usefulness of recycling agricultural and industrial wastes to obtain high quality LWAs for agriculture or gardening.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Manuel Moreno-Maroto
- Department of Chemical, Environmental and Material Engineering. Higher Polytechnic School of Linares, University of Jaen, Scientific and Technological Campus of Linares, 23700, Linares, Jaén, Spain.
| | - Pedro Nájera Camacho
- Department of Chemical, Environmental and Material Engineering. Higher Polytechnic School of Linares, University of Jaen, Scientific and Technological Campus of Linares, 23700, Linares, Jaén, Spain.
| | - Teresa Cotes-Palomino
- Department of Chemical, Environmental and Material Engineering. Higher Polytechnic School of Linares, University of Jaen, Scientific and Technological Campus of Linares, 23700, Linares, Jaén, Spain.
| | - Carmen Martínez García
- Department of Chemical, Environmental and Material Engineering. Higher Polytechnic School of Linares, University of Jaen, Scientific and Technological Campus of Linares, 23700, Linares, Jaén, Spain.
| | - Jacinto Alonso-Azcárate
- University of Castilla-La Mancha. Department of Physical Chemistry, Faculty of Environmental Sciences and Biochemistry, Avenida Carlos III, s/n, 45071, Toledo, Spain.
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Davis J, Nikah K, Asigbee FM, Landry MJ, Vandyousefi S, Ghaddar R, Hoover A, Jeans M, Pont SJ, Richards D, Hoelscher DM, Van Den Berg AE, Bluestein M, Pérez A. Design and participant characteristics of TX sprouts: A school-based cluster randomized gardening, nutrition, and cooking intervention. Contemp Clin Trials 2019; 85:105834. [PMID: 31449880 DOI: 10.1016/j.cct.2019.105834] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Revised: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/20/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
AIMS To outline the study design, outcome measures, protocol and baseline characteristics of enrolled participants of Texas (TX) Sprouts, a one-year school-based gardening, nutrition, and cooking cluster randomized trial. METHODS Eight schools were randomly assigned to the TX Sprouts intervention and eight schools to the delayed intervention over three years (2016-2019). The intervention arm received: formation/training of Garden Leadership Committees; a 0.25-acre outdoor teaching garden; 18 student lessons including gardening, nutrition, and cooking activities, taught weekly during school hours by hired educators throughout one school year; and nine parent lessons taught monthly to families. The delayed intervention was implemented the following academic year and received the same protocol as the intervention arm. Primary outcomes included: dietary intake, dietary-related behaviors, obesity, and metabolic parameters. Child measures included: height, weight, waist circumference, body composition, blood pressure, and dietary psychosocial variables. A subsample of children were measured for glucose, hemoglobin-A1C, and 24-hour dietary recalls. Parent measures included: height and weight, dietary intake, and related dietary psychosocial variables. RESULTS Of the 4239 eligible students, 3137 students consented and provided baseline clinical measures; 3132 students completed child surveys, with 92% of their parents completing parent surveys. The subsamples of blood draws and dietary recalls were 34% and 24%, respectively. Intervention arm baseline descriptives, clinical and dietary data for children and parents are reported. CONCLUSION The TX Sprouts intervention targeted primarily low-income Hispanic children and their parents; utilized an interactive gardening, nutrition, and cooking program; and measured a battery of dietary behaviors, obesity and metabolic outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- JaimieN Davis
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA.
| | - Katie Nikah
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Fiona M Asigbee
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Matthew J Landry
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Sarvenaz Vandyousefi
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Reem Ghaddar
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Amy Hoover
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Matthew Jeans
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | - Stephen J Pont
- Department of Pediatrics, Dell Medical School, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, USA
| | | | - Deanna M Hoelscher
- Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health, Austin Campus, Austin, USA
| | - Alexandra E Van Den Berg
- Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, Department of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, UTHealth School of Public Health, Austin Campus, Austin, USA
| | - Meagan Bluestein
- Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, University of Texas Health (UTHealth) Science Center, Austin Regional Campus, Austin, USA
| | - Adriana Pérez
- Michael & Susan Dell Center for Healthy Living, Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, University of Texas Health (UTHealth) Science Center, Austin Regional Campus, Austin, USA
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Schaudt J, Ziegenhorn S, Lienert J, Exadaktylos A, Klukowska-Rötzler J. [Accidents Caused by Gardening - Trivial or Serious? 5-Year Retrospective Analysis at the University Emergency Department Berne]. Praxis (Bern 1994) 2019; 108:665-672. [PMID: 31387504 DOI: 10.1024/1661-8157/a003284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Accidents Caused by Gardening - Trivial or Serious? 5-Year Retrospective Analysis at the University Emergency Department Berne Abstract. Gardening is a popular leisure activity in Switzerland. Approximately 1 million non-occupational accidents are recorded each year; 600,000 of these occur at home or in pursuit of a hobby, including approx. 16,000 accidents while gardening. The aim of this study is to investigate gardening-related accidents. The data for this study were generated from the database of the management system of Berne University Hospital, Switzerland, and retrospectively analyzed. Patients were enrolled who were at least 16 years old - since younger patients in Switzerland are normally treated in specialised Emergency Departments for Paediatrics. The study was restricted to patients who suffered an accident that resulted in physical impairment while working in their own garden. The data were then analysed based on age, sex, triage category, mechanism, causing object, lesion site, diagnoses, severity of injury (monotraumatic or combined with more than one region or polytrauma), in-patient or out-patient treatment. Gardening-related accidents were mainly suffered by middle aged adults (40-69 years). Men were more often affected than women. At consultation, the injury was mostly monotraumatic and could be treated in an out-patient setting. Patients mainly complained of eye injuries and lacerations. The exposed areas of the eyes, fingers and the head or face were the most affected body regions. Falls and stumbling often led to accidents. Injuries were mainly caused by organic material or by the improper use of gardening tools. The data analysis showed that many injuries could have been avoided by simple preventive measures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jil Schaudt
- 1 Universitäres Notfallzentrum, Inselspital, Universitätsspital Bern
| | | | - Jasmin Lienert
- 1 Universitäres Notfallzentrum, Inselspital, Universitätsspital Bern
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Béranger R, Billoir E, Nuckols JR, Blain J, Millet M, Bayle ML, Combourieu B, Philip T, Schüz J, Fervers B. Agricultural and domestic pesticides in house dust from different agricultural areas in France. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2019; 26:19632-19645. [PMID: 31079297 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-019-05313-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Pesticides have been associated with various pathologies, and there is growing evidence of pesticide presence in domestic environments. However, most available studies focused on a limited number of pesticides or households, and few have been conducted in Europe. We aimed to assess indoor pesticide contamination by screening the prevalence of 276 pesticides and ten pesticide metabolites, in French households from different agricultural and urban areas. We sampled indoor dust from 239 households in 2012, proximate to orchards (n = 69), cereals (n = 66) and vineyard (n = 68) crops, or from urban area (n = 36). we used cellulose wipes moistened with isopropanol and polypropylene dust traps to collect recent (7 and 30 days, respectively) and settled dust (> 6 months). Overall, 125 pesticides and piperonyl butoxide were detected at least once in households, mostly at low prevalence: 97 in recent dust, and 111 in settled dust. In recent dust, the most prevalent compounds were o-phenylphenol (168 households, 70%), pentachlorophenol (86, 36%), and piperonyl butoxide (82, 34%). In addition to agricultural pesticides, we found a high proportion of domestic and banned compounds in recent and settled house dust. Several pesticides were identified in house dust, from different pesticide groups and sources. Our results suggest that domestic usage and persistence of banned pesticides may contribute substantially to indoor pesticide contamination. Graphical abstract 97 pesticides detected in households' recent indoor dust.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rémi Béranger
- Department of Cancer and Environment, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France.
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France.
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France.
| | - Elise Billoir
- Rovaltain Research Company, Valence, France
- Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire des Environnements Continentaux (LIEC), Université de Lorraine, CNRS UMR, 7360, Metz, France
| | - John R Nuckols
- Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
- Principal, JRN Environmental Health Sciences, Ltd, Bethesda, North, MD, USA
| | - Jeffrey Blain
- Department of Cancer and Environment, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Maurice Millet
- Institut de Chimie et Procédés pour l'Energie, l'Environnement et la Santé (ICPEES, UMR 7515 CNRS), University of Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France
| | | | | | - Thierry Philip
- Department of Cancer and Environment, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
| | - Joachim Schüz
- Section of Environment and Radiation, International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), Lyon, France
| | - Beatrice Fervers
- Department of Cancer and Environment, Centre Léon Bérard, Lyon, France
- Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Lyon, France
- INSERM U1052, CNRS 5286, Centre Léon Bérard, Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Lyon, Cedex 08, F-69008, Lyon, France
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Vogl-Lukasser B, Vogl CR. The changing face of farmers' home gardens: a diachronic analysis from Sillian (Eastern Tyrol, Austria). J Ethnobiol Ethnomed 2018; 14:63. [PMID: 30373655 PMCID: PMC6205796 DOI: 10.1186/s13002-018-0262-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Home gardens are an integral part of many traditional land use systems around the world. They are subject to various conversion processes and undergo a variety of changes. We were interested if change is an ongoing process in farmers' home gardens of Eastern Tyrol (Austria). METHODS In Sillian, 16 farmers' home gardens (FHGs) were studied. They had been studied in 1998 and were revisited in 2013 including again a botanical inventory of cultivated and non-cultivated plants, and structured interviews on appearance, management and plant use. In 2017, all the 16 gardens were visited again to verify whether any visible change on spatial configuration had occurred. RESULTS The home garden size had decreased between 1998 and 2013. A wider range of sizes was observed. The occurrence of plant taxa per garden was the same but an increase in the standard deviation of occurrence is seen. Plant diversity (occ./m2) increased between 1998 and 2013. Seventy-nine plant taxa were no longer cultivated in 2013, but 95 new plant taxa were being cultivated. The correlation between garden size and occurrence was not significant, i.e. small gardens might host many different plant taxa or large gardens might have fewer plant taxa. The occurrence for certain use categories was not significantly different between the years, except for the increase in the occurrence of plant taxa used as food and the food subcategory spice. The mean abundance of individuals for all plant taxa showed a significant decrease between the years. In 2013, an increase in standard deviation of abundance is seen. The variation in the different use categories expressed in abundance between the years was not significantly different, except for the decrease in the abundance of plant taxa used as food. Between 1998 and 2017, six home gardens showed a change of their spatial configuration (replacement by raised beds; merging with other structures; conversion to lawn). One FHG shows signs of abandonment. CONCLUSIONS In Sillian, gardens are by no way static agroecological units, but are dynamic and individual in their appearance, composition and function. Farmers' home gardens in Sillian show a trend towards becoming more individual, i.e. conversion from being a product of a homogenous local cultural script of the community into an area where gardeners define more individually the role that farmers' homegardens are expected to play for them or their family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brigitte Vogl-Lukasser
- Division of Organic Farming, Department for Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria
| | - Christian R. Vogl
- Division of Organic Farming, Department for Sustainable Agricultural Systems, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Gregor-Mendel-Straße 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria
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Abstract
In addition to expediting patient recovery, community gardens that are associated with medical facilities can provide fresh produce to patients and their families, serve as a platform for clinic-based nutrition education, and help patients develop new skills and insights that can lead to positive health behavior change. While community gardening is undergoing resurgence, there is a strong need for evaluation studies that employ valid and reliable measures. The objective of this study was to conduct a process evaluation of a community garden program at an urban medical clinic to estimate the prevalence of patient awareness and participation, food security, barriers to participation, and personal characteristics; garden volunteer satisfaction; and clinic staff perspectives in using the garden for patient education/treatment. Clinic patients (n = 411) completed a community garden participation screener and a random sample completed a longer evaluation survey (n = 152); garden volunteers and medical staff completed additional surveys. Among patients, 39% had heard of and 18% had received vegetables from the garden; the greatest barrier for participation was lack of awareness. Volunteers reported learning about gardening, feeling more involved in the neighborhood, and environmental concern; and medical staff endorsed the garden for patient education/treatment. Comprehensive process evaluations can be utilized to quantify benefits of community gardens in medical centers as well as to point out areas for further development, such as increasing patient awareness. As garden programming at medical centers is formalized, future research should include systematic evaluations to determine whether this unique component of the healthcare environment helps improve patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandy-Joe Milliron
- Department of Nutrition Sciences, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University, 1601 Cherry Street, Mail Stop 31030, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA.
| | - Mara Z Vitolins
- Department of Epidemiology and Prevention, Medical Center Boulevard, Wake Forest School of Medicine and Comprehensive Cancer Center at Wake Forest Baptist Health, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Elizabeth Gamble
- Medical Center Boulevard, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Robert Jones
- Downtown Health Plaza, Wake Forest Baptist Health, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Margaret C Chenault
- Department of Nutrition Sciences, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University, 1601 Cherry Street, Mail Stop 31030, Philadelphia, PA, 19102, USA
| | - Janet A Tooze
- Department of Biostatistics, Medical Center Boulevard, Wake Forest School of Medicine and Comprehensive Cancer Center at Wake Forest Baptist Health, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
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Schram-Bijkerk D, Otte P, Dirven L, Breure AM. Indicators to support healthy urban gardening in urban management. Sci Total Environ 2018; 621:863-871. [PMID: 29216594 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2017] [Revised: 11/14/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Urban gardening is part of a trend towards more parks and green areas in cities, consumption of organic, locally grown products, and a closer relationship with one's own living environment. Our literature review shows that urban gardens provide opportunities for physical activity and allow people to consume homegrown fruit and vegetables. Urban gardens may also reduce stress levels of gardeners and improve social cohesion. In this way, they can help to prevent health problems. Good quality of urban soil and the functioning of soil ecosystems are indispensable prerequisites for these. We developed a framework that shows how ecosystem health and human health are interconnected in urban gardening, by placing it in the context of urban green space management and valuation. This study yields a set of indicators, which can be used to assess soil ecosystem services and health impacts. They may provide a basis for the evolving dialogue in decision-making processes and partnership activities in urban management. Recognizing the potential effects and discussing what is important to whom, might be enough to find synergies. Importantly, the initiators of urban gardens are often citizens, who seek support from other stakeholders. The social network established by gardens may contribute to health-enabling, cohesive communities involved with their living environment. To maximize health benefits, it is useful to make the urban gardens accessible to many people. This study suggests that urban gardens deserve a position in urban green space management as they may help to address societal challenges like urbanization, health and well-being in aging populations and climate adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dieneke Schram-Bijkerk
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Centre for Sustainability, Environment and Health, Bilthoven, The Netherlands.
| | - Piet Otte
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Centre for Sustainability, Environment and Health, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Liesbet Dirven
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Centre for Sustainability, Environment and Health, Bilthoven, The Netherlands
| | - Anton M Breure
- National Institute for Public Health and the Environment, Centre for Sustainability, Environment and Health, Bilthoven, The Netherlands; Radboud University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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Han AR, Park SA, Ahn BE. Reduced stress and improved physical functional ability in elderly with mental health problems following a horticultural therapy program. Complement Ther Med 2018; 38:19-23. [PMID: 29857876 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2018.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Revised: 03/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/27/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study aimed to determine the effects of a plant cultivation-based horticultural therapy program for elderly people with mental health problems. DESIGN Pre- and post-test design with experimental and control groups. SETTING Twenty-eight elderly Korean people with mental health problems participated from April to June 2017 at a farm located in Suwon, South Korea. INTERVENTIONS The participants were randomly assigned to either the control (n = 14) or horticultural therapy group (n = 14); the latter participated in once-weekly sessions of a previously designed 10-session horticultural therapy program. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The pre-test occurred 1 week before starting the horticultural therapy program. The post-test was completed within 1 week after finishing the final program session. Cortisol levels were measured in saliva samples collected from both groups. The Senior Fitness Test was used to assess physical functional ability in both groups. RESULTS In the horticultural therapy group, the cortisol levels decreased significantly from before to after the horticultural therapy program, and the post-test scores for six subtests of the Senior Fitness Test improved significantly. No significant improvements were seen in either measure in the control group. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates the potential ability of horticultural therapy to improve the stress levels and physical functional abilities of elderly people with mental health problems. In future studies, it would be interesting to verify the long-term effects of this horticultural therapy program and to compare its effects with regard to sex, age, and various mental symptoms.
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Im EA, Park SA, Son KC. Developing evaluation scales for horticultural therapy. Complement Ther Med 2018; 37:29-36. [PMID: 29609934 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctim.2018.01.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2017] [Revised: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 01/16/2018] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES This study developed evaluation scales for measuring the effects of horticultural therapy in practical settings. DESIGN Qualitative and quantitative research, including three preliminary studies and a main study, were conducted. SETTING In the first study, a total of 779 horticultural therapists answered an open-end questionnaire based on 58 items about elements of occupational therapy and seven factors about singularity of horticultural therapy. In the second study, 20 horticultural therapists participated in in-depth interviews. In the third study, a Delphi method was conducted with 24 horticultural therapists to build a model of assessment indexes and ensure the validity. In the final study, the reserve scales were tested by 121 horticultural therapists in their practical settings for 1045 clients, to verify their reliability and validity. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Preliminary questions in the effects area of horticultural therapy were developed in the first study, and validity for the components in the second study. In the third study, an expert Delphi survey was conducted as part of content validity verification of the preliminary tool of horticultural therapy for physical, cognitive, psychological-emotional, and social areas. In the final study, the evaluation tool, which verified the construct, convergence, discriminant, and predictive validity and reliability test, was used to finalise the evaluation tool. RESULTS The effects of horticultural therapy were classified as four different aspects, namely, physical, cognitive, psycho-emotional, and social, based on previous studies on the effects of horticultural therapy. 98 questions in the four aspects were selected as reserve scales. The reliability of each scale was calculated as 0.982 in physical, 0.980 in cognitive, 0.965 in psycho-emotional, and 0.972 in social aspects based on the Cronbach's test of intra-item internal consistency and half reliability of Spearman-Brown. CONCLUSIONS This study was the first to demonstrate validity and reliability by simultaneously developing four measures of horticultural therapy effectiveness, namely, physical, cognitive, psychological-emotional, and social, both locally and externally. It is especially worthwhile in that it can be applied in common to people.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Ae Im
- Horticultural Therapy Rehabilitation and Education Center, Changwon 51670, South Korea
| | - Sin-Ae Park
- Department of Environmental Health Science, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, South Korea.
| | - Ki-Cheol Son
- Department of Environmental Health Science, Konkuk University, Seoul 05029, South Korea
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Alaimo K, Beavers AW, Crawford C, Snyder EH, Litt JS. Amplifying Health Through Community Gardens: A Framework for Advancing Multicomponent, Behaviorally Based Neighborhood Interventions. Curr Environ Health Rep 2018; 3:302-12. [PMID: 27379424 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-016-0105-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The article presents a framework for understanding the relationship between community garden participation, and the myriad ways gardens and participation lead to emotional, social, and health impacts. Existing empirical research relating community gardens to health behaviors, such as physical activity and diet, and longer-term chronic disease-related outcomes is summarized. The research areas discussed include the effects of community garden participation on individual, social, emotional, and environmental processes; health behaviors including diet and physical activity; and health outcomes such as self-rated health, obesity, and mental health. Other mechanisms through which community gardens may affect population health are described. Applying a multitheoretical lens to explore associations between community garden participation and health enables us to delineate key aspects of gardening that elicit positive health behaviors and multifactorial health assets that could be applied to designing other types of health interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine Alaimo
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, G. Malcolm Trout Building, Room 208C, 469 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Alyssa W Beavers
- Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition, Michigan State University, G. Malcolm Trout Building, Room 208C, 469 Wilson Road, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | | | - Elizabeth Hodges Snyder
- Department of Health Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Drive, DPL 405, Anchorage, AK, 99508-4614, USA
| | - Jill S Litt
- University of Colorado Boulder, 4001 Discovery Drive, Boulder, CO, 80303, USA.
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Demark-Wahnefried W, Cases MG, Cantor AB, Frugé AD, Smith KP, Locher J, Cohen HJ, Tsuruta Y, Daniel M, Kala R, De Los Santos JF. Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of a Home Vegetable Gardening Intervention among Older Cancer Survivors Shows Feasibility, Satisfaction, and Promise in Improving Vegetable and Fruit Consumption, Reassurance of Worth, and the Trajectory of Central Adiposity. J Acad Nutr Diet 2018; 118:689-704. [PMID: 29305129 DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2017.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 11/01/2017] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Holistic approaches are sought to improve lifestyle behaviors and health of cancer survivors long term. OBJECTIVE Our aim was to explore whether a home-based vegetable gardening intervention is feasible and whether it improves diet and other health-related outcomes among older cancer survivors. DESIGN We conducted a feasibility trial in which cancer survivors were randomized to receive a year-long gardening intervention immediately or to a wait-list control arm. Home visits at baseline and 1 year assessed physical performance, anthropometric indices, behavioral and psychosocial outcomes, and biomarkers. PARTICIPANTS/SETTING Participants included 46 older (aged 60+ years) survivors of locoregionally staged cancers across Alabama from 2014 to 2016. Forty-two completed 1-year follow-up. INTERVENTION Cooperative extension master gardeners delivered guidance to establish three seasonal vegetable gardens at survivors' homes. Plants, seeds, and gardening supplies were provided. OUTCOMES Primary outcomes were feasibility targets of 80% accrual and retention, and an absence of serious adverse events; other outcomes were secondary and explored potential benefits. STATISTICAL ANALYSES Baseline to follow-up changes were assessed within and between arms using paired t, McNemar's, and χ2 tests. RESULTS This trial proved to be safe and demonstrated 91.3% retention; 70% of intervention participants rated their experience as "excellent," and 85% would "do it again." Data suggest significantly increased reassurance of worth (+0.49 vs -0.45) and attenuated increases in waist circumference (+2.30 cm vs +7.96 cm) in the gardening vs control arms (P=0.02). Vegetable and fruit consumption increased by approximately 1 serving/day within the gardening arm from baseline to follow-up (mean [standard error]=1.34 [1.2] to 2.25 [1.9] servings/day; P=0.02)] compared to controls (1.22 [1.1] to 1.12 [0.7]; P=0.77; between-arm P=0.06). CONCLUSIONS The home vegetable gardening intervention among older cancer survivors was feasible and suggested improvements in vegetable and fruit consumption and reassurance of worth; data also suggest attenuated increases in waist circumference. Continued study of vegetable gardening interventions is warranted to improve health, health behaviors, and well-being of older cancer survivors.
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Masel EK, Trinczek H, Adamidis F, Schur S, Unseld M, Kitta A, Kirchheiner K, Steininger B, Meixner-Katzmann K, Watzke HH. Vitamin "G"arden: a qualitative study exploring perception/s of horticultural therapy on a palliative care ward. Support Care Cancer 2017; 26:1799-1805. [PMID: 29260388 PMCID: PMC5919982 DOI: 10.1007/s00520-017-3978-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2017] [Accepted: 11/14/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Purpose In a palliative care setting, the preservation of quality of life is of particular importance. Horticultural therapy (HT) is reported as an excellent way to improve physical as well as psychological well-being, reduce levels of anxiety and depression, and promote social interaction. The use of horticultural interventions in palliative care has not yet been explored. The aim of this study was to explore the effects of HT in patients and team members on a palliative care ward. Methods This study was based on a qualitative methodology, comprising 20 semistructured interviews with 15 advanced cancer patients participating in HT and with 5 members of the palliative care team. Interviews were analyzed using NVivo 10 software based on thematic analysis. Results The results revealed the following themes: (1) well-being, (2) variation of clinical routine, (3) creation, and (4) building relationships. Patients experienced positive stimulation through HT, were distracted from daily clinical routines, enjoyed creative work, and were able to build relationships with other patients. HT was also welcomed by the members of the palliative care team. Thirty-six percent of the patients did not meet the inclusion criteria, and 45% could not participate in the second or third HT session. Conclusions Our study showed that the availability of HT was highly appreciated by the patients as well as by the palliative care team. Nevertheless, the dropout rate was high, and therefore, it might be more feasible to integrate green spaces into palliative care wards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eva Katharina Masel
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Internal Medicine I, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Helena Trinczek
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Internal Medicine I, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Feroniki Adamidis
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Internal Medicine I, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sophie Schur
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Internal Medicine I, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Matthias Unseld
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Internal Medicine I, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Anna Kitta
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Internal Medicine I, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kathrin Kirchheiner
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | - Birgit Steininger
- University College for Agrarian and Environmental Pedagogy, Angermeyergasse 11, 1130, Vienna, Austria
| | | | - Herbert Hans Watzke
- Division of Palliative Care, Department of Internal Medicine I, Comprehensive Cancer Center, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel 18-20, 1090, Vienna, Austria
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Loso J, Staub D, Colby SE, Olfert MD, Kattelmann K, Vilaro M, Colee J, Zhou W, Franzen-Castle L, Mathews AE. Gardening Experience Is Associated with Increased Fruit and Vegetable Intake among First-Year College Students: A Cross-Sectional Examination. J Acad Nutr Diet 2017; 118:275-283. [PMID: 29198845 PMCID: PMC5929138 DOI: 10.1016/j.jand.2017.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2017] [Accepted: 09/11/2017] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Gardening interventions have been shown to increase fruit and vegetable (F/V) intake among school-aged children. It is unknown whether these effects persist into later adolescence or adulthood, and little is known about whether gardening in later adolescence is related to F/V intake. OBJECTIVE To identify the relationship between both childhood and recent (within the past 12 months) gardening experiences and current F/V intake among college students. DESIGN/PARTICIPANTS A cross-sectional evaluation of 1,121 college freshmen with suboptimal F/V consumption from eight US universities. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Participants completed the National Cancer Institute Fruit and Vegetable Screener and questions about gardening experiences. Respondents were grouped as having gardened or not gardened during childhood and recently. STATISTICAL ANALYSES PERFORMED A linear mixed model was used to evaluate the relationship between childhood and recent gardening and current F/V intake. RESULTS Of the student participants, 11% reported gardening only during childhood, 19% reported gardening only recently, 20% reported gardening both as a child and recently, and 49% of students reported never having gardened. Students who gardened both during childhood and recently had a significantly higher mean current intake of F/V compared with students who never gardened (2.5±0.6 vs 1.9±0.5 cup equivalents [CE], respectively; P<0.001). In addition, F/V intake increased with frequency of recent gardening engagement when comparing students who did not garden with those who gardened monthly or weekly (2.1±0.5 CE, 2.4±0.6 CE, and 2.8±0.7 CE, respectively; P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS This analysis suggests that the combination of childhood and recent gardening experience is associated with greater current F/V intake among first-year college students not currently meeting national F/V recommendations. In addition, a greater frequency of gardening experience may further enhance this effect.
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Mohd AW, Mohamad I, Wan Ghazali WS, Johan KB. In the finger it lingers. Malays Fam Physician 2017; 12:32-33. [PMID: 29423129 PMCID: PMC5802778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- A W Mohd
- MD (USM) Klinik Nik Azam 17000 Pasir Mas, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - I Mohamad
- (Corresponding author) MD (UsM), M.Med (ORL-HNS) School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia 16150 Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia.
| | - W S Wan Ghazali
- MBChB Leicester), M.Med (internal Medicine) School of Medical Sciences, Universiti sains Malaysia 16150 Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia
| | - K B Johan
- BPharm (USM) Department of Pharmacy Hospital Universiti Sains Malaysia 16150 kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia
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