Nature contact and health risk Behaviours: Results from an 18 country study

Leanne Martin; Mathew P. White; Sabine Pahl; Jon May; John N. Newton; Lewis R. Elliott; Marta Cirach; James Grellier; Gregory N. Bratman; Mireia Gascon; Maria L. Lima; Mark Nieuwenhuijsen; Ann Ojala; Anne Roiko; Matilda van den Bosch; Lora E. Fleming

doi:10.1016/j.healthplace.2025.103479

Nature contact and health risk Behaviours: Results from an 18 country study

Leanne Martin, Mathew P. White, Sabine Pahl, Jon May, John N. Newton, Lewis R. Elliott, Marta Cirach, James Grellier, Gregory N. Bratman, Mireia Gascon, Maria L. Lima, Mark Nieuwenhuijsen, Ann Ojala, Anne Roiko, Matilda van den Bosch, Lora E. Fleming

Publications: Contribution to journal › Article › Peer Reviewed

Abstract

Emerging evidence suggests that residential greenspace is associated with a lower prevalence of health risk behaviours, but it remains unclear whether these effects are generalizable across countries or different types of nature contact. Using representative cross-sectional samples from 18 countries/regions, we examined the associations between two types of nature contact (greenspace, nature visits), current smoking and everyday drinking. After controlling for a range of covariates, greenspace was inversely associated with current smoking and everyday drinking. Visiting natural spaces at least once a week was linked to a lower prevalence of current smoking, but unrelated to everyday drinking. Increasing residential greenspace could be a promising strategy for reducing multiple health risk behaviours, whilst visit-based interventions may be a more appropriate target for smoking cessation.

Original language	English
Article number	103479
Journal	Health and Place
Volume	94
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2025.103479
Publication status	Published - Jul 2025

Funding

This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under Grant Agreement No. 666773 . Data collection in California was supported by the Center for Conservation Biology, Stanford University. Data collection in Canada was supported by the Faculty of Forestry, University of British Columbia. Data collection in Finland was supported by the Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke). Data collection in Australia was supported by Griffith University and the University of the Sunshine Coast. Data collection in Portugal was supported by ISCTE\u2014University Institute of Lisbon. Data collection in Ireland was supported by the Environmental Protection Agency, Ireland. Data collection in Hong Kong was supported by an internal University of Exeter\u2014Chinese University of Hong Kong international collaboration fund. We also acknowledge the support of the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) who funded the first author\u2019s contribution to this research through the South West Doctoral Training Partnership Placement Scheme, linked to PhD studentship funding awarded to the University of Plymouth.

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

501002 Applied psychology

Keywords

Alcohol
Greenspace
Health risk behaviours
Nature visits
Smoking

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.healthplace.2025.103479

Cite this

Martin, L., White, M. P., Pahl, S., May, J., Newton, J. N., Elliott, L. R., Cirach, M., Grellier, J., Bratman, G. N., Gascon, M., Lima, M. L., Nieuwenhuijsen, M., Ojala, A., Roiko, A., van den Bosch, M., & Fleming, L. E. (2025). Nature contact and health risk Behaviours: Results from an 18 country study. Health and Place, 94, Article 103479. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2025.103479

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abstract = "Emerging evidence suggests that residential greenspace is associated with a lower prevalence of health risk behaviours, but it remains unclear whether these effects are generalizable across countries or different types of nature contact. Using representative cross-sectional samples from 18 countries/regions, we examined the associations between two types of nature contact (greenspace, nature visits), current smoking and everyday drinking. After controlling for a range of covariates, greenspace was inversely associated with current smoking and everyday drinking. Visiting natural spaces at least once a week was linked to a lower prevalence of current smoking, but unrelated to everyday drinking. Increasing residential greenspace could be a promising strategy for reducing multiple health risk behaviours, whilst visit-based interventions may be a more appropriate target for smoking cessation.",

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AU - Newton, John N.

AU - Elliott, Lewis R.

AU - Cirach, Marta

AU - Grellier, James

AU - Bratman, Gregory N.

AU - Gascon, Mireia

AU - Lima, Maria L.

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AB - Emerging evidence suggests that residential greenspace is associated with a lower prevalence of health risk behaviours, but it remains unclear whether these effects are generalizable across countries or different types of nature contact. Using representative cross-sectional samples from 18 countries/regions, we examined the associations between two types of nature contact (greenspace, nature visits), current smoking and everyday drinking. After controlling for a range of covariates, greenspace was inversely associated with current smoking and everyday drinking. Visiting natural spaces at least once a week was linked to a lower prevalence of current smoking, but unrelated to everyday drinking. Increasing residential greenspace could be a promising strategy for reducing multiple health risk behaviours, whilst visit-based interventions may be a more appropriate target for smoking cessation.

KW - Alcohol

KW - Greenspace

KW - Health risk behaviours

KW - Nature visits

KW - Smoking

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ER -

Nature contact and health risk Behaviours: Results from an 18 country study

Abstract

Funding

Austrian Fields of Science 2012

Keywords

UN SDGs

Access to Document

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