Gardening, a good way to eat better and move more!

The authors of this work wanted to study the impact of daily activities on low-income populations. They therefore had the idea of ​​studying gardening, especially community gardening, an affordable activity practiced by many people with modest incomes.

Gardening done by healthy people…or the other way around

The benefits of gardening were already suspected. The authors explain, for example, that “small observational studies have shown that people who garden tend to eat more fruits and vegetables and are more often at a healthy weight. Without clearly determining whether healthy people simply tend to garden or whether gardening can affect health“.

To find out more, the scientists recruited 291 non-gardening adults, with an average age of 41, from the Denver area in the United States. More than a third were Hispanic and more than half came from low-income households. The individuals were divided into two groups. Half were assigned to the community gardening group and the other half to a control group who were asked to wait a year to start gardening.

A higher fiber intake

In addition, the gardening group received a free community garden plot, seeds and seedlings. Participants also took an introductory gardening course. Throughout the study, both groups completed periodic surveys of their nutritional intake and mental health. They underwent body measurements and wore activity monitors.

Results: In the fall, members of the gardening group ate an average of 1.4 grams more fiber per day than the control group, an increase of about 7%.A One-Gram Increase in Fiber Can Have Significant Positive Health Effects“said co-author James Hebert, director of the University of South Carolina Cancer Prevention and Control Program.

More physical activity and better mental health

The gardening group also increased their level of physical activity by about 42 minutes per week, where the recommendations are set at 150 minutes per week, a threshold that only a quarter of the American population meets. “With only two to three weekly visits to the community garden, participants achieved 28% of this requirement” note the authors.

In addition, study participants also saw their levels of stress and anxiety decrease, with those who entered the study most stressed and anxious seeing the greatest reduction in mental health issues. “No matter where you go, people say there’s something about gardening that makes them feel better” ifurther indicate the authors.

Greater than expected health benefits

“These results provide concrete evidence that community gardening could play an important role in the prevention of cancer, chronic diseases and mental health disorders” indicates the main author of this work, Professor Jill Litt, professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at the University of Colorado.

“Even if you come to the garden to grow your food on your own in a quiet place, you start looking at your neighbor’s plot and sharing techniques and recipes, and over time relationships blossom.she adds, also noting that community gardening can have additional benefits.It’s not just about fruits and vegetables. It’s also about being in a natural space outdoors with others” she concludes.