Health Benefits

The Benefits of Nature are MentalPhysicalSocial

There are currently more than 400 studies that demonstrate the numerous health benefits that nature provides. Below we've highlighted a few key resources that give an overview of the findings. You can also find relevant infographics in the ParkRx toolkit.

Literature Reviews

NATURE CONTACT AND HUMAN HEALTH: A RESEARCH AGENDA
This literature review by Frumkin et al. (2017), builds upon current research on the benefits of spending time in nature and proposes possible research agendas.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF INTERACTING WITH NATURE?
This review by Keniger et al. (2013),  breaks down the health benefits of nature, the interactions between people and nature, and the settings in which interactions between people and nature occur into specific typologies— in an attempt to understand how the benefits of nature are being studied.

A REVIEW OF THE HEALTH BENEFITS OF GREENNESS
This review by James et al. (2015), discusses the health benefits of green spaces, and the ways in which it may positively contribute to human health.

Databases

CHILDREN & NATURE RESEARCH LIBRARY
The Children & Nature research library provides summaries of peer-reviewed literature on the health benefits of nature for children.

ACTIVE LIVING RESEARCH TOOLS AND RESOURCES
The Active Living Research tools and research center offers a collection of peer-reviewed papers, reports, and publications around how being physically active outdoors benefits children, families, and communities.