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Duda E. Understanding Health-Related Motivations for Urban Food Self-Production in the Light of Semantic Fields Analysis. Nutrients 2024; 16:1533. [PMID: 38794771 PMCID: PMC11124436 DOI: 10.3390/nu16101533] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2024] [Revised: 05/13/2024] [Accepted: 05/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
One of the contemporary challenges facing urban areas is the necessity to identify novel approaches to resident involvement in solution creation, with a particular focus on ensuring the best possible nutrition. By investigating the process of co-participation of city dwellers in a unique education project, this paper aims to gain a deeper understanding of the health-related motivations that underpin the decision of early adopters of the implemented technological innovations to join the social experiment. The qualitative study employed purposive sampling and in-depth interviews conducted in two waves, the first between October and November 2022 and the second between September 2023 and January 2024. The study comprised 42 participants drawn from two communities of residents in Łódź and Warsaw, Poland. Transcriptions of the interviews were carried out using semantic field analysis, employing a quantitative approach that counts the frequency of keyword occurrences. Three categories of semantic fields were identified: associations, oppositions, and actions toward the subject, including positive, neutral, and negative temperatures. The findings demonstrate that the health concerns of residents are a pivotal factor in their decision to participate in urban food self-production initiatives, given their limited access to nutritious and healthy vegetables. This is related to several factors, including restrictions related to urbanization and the displacement of local suppliers, lifestyle, and the fast pace of urban life. The dissemination of innovative solutions for growing food in urban environments could, therefore, facilitate awareness-raising and motivation to alter the dietary habits of inhabitants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Duda
- Institute of Education, Maria Grzegorzewska University, 02-353 Warsaw, Poland
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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] [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] [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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Lu I, Suss R, Lanza DV, Cohen S, Yusuf Y, Yi SS. A qualitative study to inform the development of a subsidized community-supported agriculture program for Chinese Americans in Brooklyn, New York, U.S. Prev Med Rep 2023; 36:102480. [PMID: 37920594 PMCID: PMC10618813 DOI: 10.1016/j.pmedr.2023.102480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The objective of this study was to inform the development of a subsidized, culturally adapted Community-Supported Agriculture (CSA) program for the Chinese American (CA) community in Brooklyn, New York (NY), USA. We conducted interviews with CA adults to understand their eating and shopping behaviors, interests in CSAs, and recommendations for educational content to inform the development of a subsidized and culturally adapted CSA. We then conducted thematic analysis of those interviews and identified major themes. CA adult participants shared interest in a CSA primarily to support their own health, interact socially with farmers and other participants, and gain access to fresh, culturally appropriate produce. Major concerns for participation, especially among older adults, included language barriers, transportation, and mobility. The unique needs and motivations of CAs should be centered in the development of alternative food access interventions for this population. CA adult participants living in Brooklyn, NY may be interested in a subsidized culturally adapted CSA that includes health information about the produce and provides in-language support. Engaging communities in the development of a health program may be important to ensure accessibility and acceptability for CA populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel Lu
- Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, United States
| | - Rachel Suss
- Department Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University Langone Health, United States
| | - Dalila Victoria Lanza
- Department of Population and Family Health, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, United States
| | - Sarah Cohen
- Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, United States
| | - Yousra Yusuf
- Department Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University Langone Health, United States
| | - Stella S. Yi
- Department Population Health, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York University Langone Health, United States
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Emmanuel R, Read UM, Grande AJ, Harding S. Acceptability and Feasibility of Community Gardening Interventions for the Prevention of Non-Communicable Diseases among Indigenous Populations: A Scoping Review. Nutrients 2023; 15:791. [PMID: 36771495 PMCID: PMC9921708 DOI: 10.3390/nu15030791] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Compared with non-Indigenous populations, Indigenous populations experience worse health across many outcomes, including non-communicable diseases, and they are three times more likely to live in extreme poverty. The objectives were to identify (1) the content, implementation, and duration of the intervention; (2) the evaluation designs used; (3) the outcomes reported; and (4) the enablers and the challenges. Using the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, a search of research databases and grey literature was conducted. Seven studies met the inclusion criteria. Papers reported on acceptability, nutrition knowledge, fruit and vegetable intake, self-efficacy, motivation, and preference concerning fruit and vegetable, diet, and gardening. No study measured all outcomes. All papers reported on acceptability, whether implicitly or explicitly. The evaluation used mostly pre- and post-intervention assessments. The effect of gardening on nutrition and gardening knowledge and fruit and vegetable intake was inconclusive, and was related to a general lack of robust evaluations. Applying the He Pikinga Waiora Framework, however, revealed strong evidence for community engagement, cultural centeredness, integrated knowledge translation and systems thinking in increasing the acceptability and feasibility of gardening in Indigenous communities. Despite environmental challenges, the evidence signaled that gardening was an acceptable intervention for the Indigenous communities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosana Emmanuel
- Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Life Course & Population Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
| | - Ursula M Read
- Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Life Course & Population Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
- Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Antonio Jose Grande
- Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Life Course & Population Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
- Department of Medicine, Universidade Estadual de Mato Grosso do Sul-(UEMS), P.O. Box 351, Dourados 79804-970, Brazil
| | - Seeromanie Harding
- Department of Population Health Sciences, School of Life Course & Population Sciences, King's College London, London SE1 1UL, UK
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Taren D, Akseer N, Davis CD, Miller JW, Moustaid-Moussa N, Novotny R, Slupsky CM, Saroja Voruganti V, Cameron JM. Eighty years of nutritional sciences, and counting. Nutr Rev 2021; 80:1-5. [PMID: 34891168 DOI: 10.1093/nutrit/nuab112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Taren
- Department of Pediatrics Nutrition Section, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Nadia Akseer
- Modern Scientist Global and the Department of International Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Cindy D Davis
- Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland, USA
| | - Joshua W Miller
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Naima Moustaid-Moussa
- Department of Nutritional Sciences, College of Human Services and the Obesity Research Institute, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA
| | - Rachel Novotny
- Human Nutrition, Food and Animal Sciences Department, College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, and the Children's Healthy Living Center of Excellence, University of Hawaii at Mānoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
| | - Carolyn M Slupsky
- Department of Nutrition, University of California, Davis, California, USA
| | - V Saroja Voruganti
- Department of Nutrition, Gillings School of Global Public Health, University of North Carolina, Kannapolis, North Carolina, USA
| | - James M Cameron
- International Life Sciences Institute, Washington, District of Columbia, USA
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