Adolescents' thoughts and feelings about the local and global environment: a qualitative interview study

Toward Sustainable Diets-Interventions and Perceptions Among Adolescents: A Scoping Review

Adolescence is an important life stage during which shifts toward more healthy and sustainable diets can be promoted. Adolescents have increasing influence over their food choices, informed by their developing personal knowledge and values, affecting long-term dietary behaviors into adulthood. The recent literature regarding adolescents' (1) perceptions of environmentally sustainable diets and (2) interventions to support adolescents to eat sustainably was reviewed in this study. We reviewed published literature that focused on adolescent participants and their perceptions of, or interventions to support, sustainable dietary habits. Five electronic databases were searched to include studies published since 2012 that met the inclusion criteria, including reporting of participants aged between 11 and 18 years, reporting on adolescents' perceptions of sustainable diets or interventions implemented to improve the sustainability of adolescents' diets, and framed in the context of sustainability. Data were extracted, including study and participant characteristics, methodology, and results in relation to each of the 2 research focus areas. Twenty-eight articles were included in the review. Findings suggest that adolescents' understanding of what constitutes sustainable eating is poor. Adolescents who had previously received education regarding sustainable diets valued nature and health, or were from a rural or indigenous community, were more likely to value environmentally sustainable-food choices. Interventions which target adolescents' understanding of and aspiration to make sustainable-food choices appears to improve their attitudes toward sustainable food, whereas interventions to increase the availability of sustainable foods improved the environmental sustainability of adolescents' dietary intake. Multicomponent, tailored, and community-based interventions were most effective; however, the long-term effect of these interventions remains unclear. More research is needed in low- and middle-income countries, with consideration of adolescents' level of autonomy in food choice in local food environments and the long-term effectiveness of interventions. Systematic Review Registration: Open Science Framework identifier osf.io/h3jz6.

Alternative Food Practices as Pathways to Cope with Climate Distress

Experiences of distress and challenging emotions in response to the climate crisis are increasingly common, particularly among young adults. These experiences can include challenging emotions caused by the harmful environmental impacts of conventional food systems, as their contributions to greenhouse gas emissions have become more widely known. While recent studies have examined various experiences of climate distress, the interaction between climate distress and food practice remains poorly understood. In this research, we turn to this intersection by examining the experiences of climate distress of young adults who have alternative food practices, and the interaction between their climate distress and their alternative food practices. Guided by an exploratory, single case study research approach, this research draws from 20 semi-structured interviews conducted with young adults located in urban centres in the Southeastern Prairie Region of Canada. Thematic analysis of the findings reveals that participants experience a variety of climate emotions and a personal responsibility to act in response to the climate crisis. The findings suggest that because of their ability to facilitate a meaningful and practical environmental impact, alternative food practices represent significant climate actions and may be pathways to facilitate coping or managing climate distress among young adults. Results demonstrate the psychological impacts of the climate crisis on young adults, highlighting the need for action on climate change and climate distress. Increasing the accessibility of alternative food practices may support young adults in coping with challenging climate emotions.

"Don't Look Up": Eco-anxiety presenting in a Community Mental Health Service

This case report discusses a 25-year-old male who was referred to community mental health services from primary care with symptoms of anxiety and depression related to climate change, which the referring clinician believed were of delusional intensity. This case report gives the history of his interaction with the service. A literature review is performed noting the dearth of case reports in this area and a subsequent discussion charts the emerging literature on mental health issues related to climate change. Finally the paper makes some broad recommendations for mental health practitioners on how to approach these issues.

Australian young people's perspectives about the political determinants of the climate crisis

ISSUE ADDRESSED

There has been little focus on young people's views about the political determinants of the climate crisis. As young people are likely to be the group most impacted by political decisions relating to the climate crisis, it is essential to understand their views about government decision-making.

METHODS

A qualitatively-led online survey of n = 500 young Australians aged 15-24 years. Open text questions sought young people's views about current government climate policies, perceptions about policy effectiveness, and how governments could improve their climate responses. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to interpret and construct themes from the data.

RESULTS

Young people perceived that governments were not taking serious action on the climate crisis. They stated that climate policies were largely influenced by economic imperatives, rather than concern for the wellbeing of current and future generations. They perceived that governments had a duty of care to protect them from the climate crisis, and needed to engage young people in climate discussions and decision-making.

CONCLUSIONS

Young people's perspectives about the political determinants of the climate crisis provides information about their understanding of government policies and their recommendations for action. There is a need for collaboration between young people and decision-makers to urgently develop effective climate policies. SO WHAT?: Young people understand key issues relating to the political determinants of the climate crisis. The health promotion community has a role in advocating for structural changes in policymaking processes to ensure young people have a seat at the decision-making table.

Australian young people's perceptions of the commercial determinants of the climate crisis

There is increasing public health focus on how corporate practices impact population health and well-being. While the commercial determinants of the climate crisis pose serious threats to human and planetary health, governments largely seek to balance climate action with economic imperatives. Global stakeholders recognize that young people have important voices in influencing climate responses. However, few studies have investigated young people's perceptions of the commercial determinants of the climate crisis. A qualitatively led online survey of n = 500 young Australians (15-24 years) investigated their understanding of corporate responses to the climate crisis, factors that influenced these responses and strategies to respond. A reflexive approach to thematic analysis was used. Three themes were constructed from the data. First, young people perceived that corporate responses to the climate crisis focussed on soft options and lacked meaningful action. Second, they stated that these responses were largely influenced by economic imperatives rather than planetary health, with policy levers needed to implement environmentally responsible corporate practices. Third, young people perceived that systems needed change to create demand for a cleaner environment, leading to improved practices. Young people have a clear understanding of the commercial determinants of the climate crisis and associated threats to population health. They recognize that corporate practices (and consumer demand) will not change without significant policy and structural change. Public health and health promotion stakeholders should work alongside young people to influence decision-makers to address harmful corporate behaviours.

Neighborhood Physical and Social Environments and Social Inequalities in Health in Older Adolescents and Young Adults: A Scoping Review

Poor health and well-being are prevalent among young people. Neighborhoods may play a role in promoting good health. Little is known on if and how neighborhood characteristics affect health, and social inequalities therein, among young people. In this scoping review, we asked: (1) what features of the neighborhood physical and social environments have been studied in association with the physical and mental health and well-being of young people 15 to 30 years old; and (2) to what extent have social differentials in these associations been studied, and how? We identified peer-reviewed articles (2000 to 2023) through database and snowball searches. We summarized study characteristics, exposure(s), outcome(s) and main findings, with an eye on social inequalities in health. Out of the 69 articles reviewed, most were quantitative, cross-sectional, conducted among 18-year-olds and younger, and focused on the residential neighborhood. Neighborhood social capital and mental health were the most common exposure and outcome studied, respectively. Almost half of the studies examined social inequalities in health, mostly across sex/gender, socioeconomic status, and ethnicity. Evidence gaps remain, which include exploring settings other than residential neighborhoods, studying the older age stratum of young adulthood, and assessing a broader range of social inequalities. Addressing these gaps can support research and action on designing healthy and equitable neighborhoods for young people.

Healthy Environments: Understanding Perceptions of Underrepresented Communities in the United Kingdom

A healthy environment has been defined by global health organisations as one that is safe, supportive of healthy lifestyles, and free of hazards. Such definitions disregard the complexity of what it means for an environment to be perceived as 'healthy'-such as the mental, not just physical, health effects on citizens. This study aimed to understand the attributes that underrepresented groups of the United Kingdom (UK) public assign to healthy environments-an important step for directing public policy and actions to create environments that are inclusive of all citizens. This co-created study involved 95 participants from underrepresented communities in 10 separate focus groups, each facilitated by a community member. Thematic analyses highlighted five key attributes of a healthy environment: sounds and sights, accessibility, safety, familiarity and mental health and wellbeing. This study draws a picture of key attributes underrepresented groups of the UK public assign to healthy environments that is richer than that drawn by existing definitions. These findings illustrate the importance of hearing diverse voices when directing research, policy, and actions that attempt to develop healthy environments for all.

Determining the association between different living arrangements and depressive symptoms among over-65-year-old people: The moderating role of outdoor activities

Background

China is presently facing the challenge of meeting enormous health demands because of its rapidly aging society. Enrolling older persons in eldercare institutions is a helpful alternative for relieving family caregivers and promoting healthy aging. However, changes in the living environment may negatively affect the mental health of the elderly.

Objective

To explore the association between different living arrangements and depressive symptoms among over-65-year-old people in China and the moderating role of outdoor activities.

Method

The 2018 wave of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey (CLHLS) used a mixed sampling method to collect the health and demographic information of 15,874 older adults over 65 years from 23 provinces in China. After considering this study's inclusion and exclusion criteria, the final sample comprised 12,200 participants. The participants' risk of depressive symptoms was assessed using the 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD-10). The potential association between the two elements was tested using a regression model.

Result

This study's findings suggested a significant relationship between depressive symptoms and living arrangements (P < 0.001). Participants living alone and those living in eldercare institutions had 1.26-times (95%CI: 1.10–1.44) and 1.39-times (95%CI: 1.09–1.77) higher risks of depressive symptoms, respectively, than those living with household members. Outdoor activities play a moderating role between different living arrangements and depressive symptoms. Among participants who engaged in outdoor activities, no significant difference was observed in the risk of depressive symptoms between those living in eldercare institutions and those living with household members (adjusted odds ratio = 1.15, 95%CI = 0.81–1.64, P = 0.426).

Conclusion

The high risk of depressive symptoms among older Chinese people living alone or in eldercare institutions requires considerable attention. The evidence from this study suggests that older people living alone and those living in eldercare institutions should regularly engage in appropriate outdoor activities.

Commentary: Three tasks for eco-anxiety research - a commentary on Thompson et al. (2021)

Based on years of interdisciplinary research about eco-anxiety, the author discusses here the new research article by Thompson et al. (2021) and depicts three major challenges for eco-anxiety research. The first challenge is the multifaceted character of anxiety. Eco-anxiety is related to both motivation and distress, as the results of Thompson et al. (2021) also show. The second challenge is the need to know about the coping skills of the person and the social group, when eco-anxiety is measured and especially if its relation to pro-environmental behaviour is studied. There may be high distress, but still the person or group may be able to cope constructively. The third challenge is to integrate knowledge about emotional skills in this kind of research. The author discusses the item related to crying about climate change in recent measures of climate anxiety (Clayton & Karazsia 2020) and links this discussion about coping with the results of Thompson et al. (2021). The new article brings important empirical evidence about the complexity of eco-anxiety, even while the data is limited.