| Principal Investigator: | Dr Zoe Davies |
|---|---|
| Co-investigator: | Tristan Pett |
| Project dates: | 2015-16 |
| Funding: | Kent Nature Partnership |
| Collaborators: | Teresa Bennett (Natural Values), Dr Susan Hidgson (Imperial College, London), Dr Hannah Cook (Kent and Medway Biological Records Centre), Tony Witts (Kent and Medway Biological Records Centre) |
Interacting with nature in green spaces is known to provide a diverse range of human health and wellbeing benefits. These include quicker recovery rates from ill-health, self-reported general health, longevity, stress-relief, diminished mental fatigue, opportunities for reflection, degrees of social interaction and decreased crime rates. Similarly, lack of access to green space has been associated with greater levels of depression and anxiety. Furthermore, interaction with the natural environment can reduce health inequalities related to social deprivation.
Physical activity comprises any body movement that expends energy and raises the heart rate. People are considered to be inactive when they engage in less than 30 minutes of physical activity a week. Globally, such inactivity accounts for 6% of all deaths. In the UK, it is estimated that it causes 10% of coronary heart disease cases, 18% of colon and breast cancers, 13% of type 2 diabetes and 17% of premature all-cause mortality. Figures for Kent show that only 12% of the population exercise outdoors, which is below the national average of 17%.
The Health & Nature Subgroup of the Kent Nature Partnership (KNP) aims to increase public health in the county using the natural environment. To facilitate this objective, the project team will be undertaking research to determine:
(i) how the provision, accessibility and quality of green space varies across Kent.
(ii) whether there are any spatial associations between the provision, accessibility and quality of green space and geographic locations where an above average percentage of the population are inactive.