TY - JOUR
T1 - Visits to Natural Environments Improve State Body Appreciation
T2 - Evidence from Malaysia, Romania, and Spain
AU - Swami, Viren
AU - Mohd Khatib, Nor Azzatunnisak
AU - Vidal-Mollón, Jose
AU - Vintila, Mona
AU - Barron, David
AU - Goian, Cosmin
AU - Mayoral, Olga
AU - Toh, Evelyn Kheng Lin
AU - Tudorel, Otilia
AU - Vazirani, Simran
AU - Zahari, Hanoor Syahirah
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, Mary Ann Liebert, Inc., publishers 2020.
PY - 2020/3
Y1 - 2020/3
N2 - Recent studies have reported that nature exposure is associated with more positive body image - a multifaceted construct that includes one's body-related thoughts, feelings, and behaviors - but these studies are constrained by a focus on limited national contexts and environment types. To rectify this, we examined the impact of nature exposure on state body image in diverse national contexts and across different environment types. In Study 1, 140 Romanian and 161 Spanish adults who visited botanic gardens were asked to complete a measure of state body appreciation on entry and again upon exit, as well as report their visit duration. Analyses indicated that there was a significant increase in body appreciation scores in both subsamples (ds = 0.52, 0.68), but exit scores were significantly higher in the Spanish compared to the Romanian group (d = 0.26). Visit duration was significantly and weakly associated with greater improvements in state body image change only in the Spanish subsample. In Study 2, the same procedures were repeated with Malaysian adults who visited a green space (n = 351) or blue space (n = 351). Analyses showed a significant increase in body appreciation scores in both subsamples (ds = 0.66, 0.99), with exit scores being significantly higher in the blue- compared to the green-space group (d = 0.40). Visit duration was significantly, albeit weakly, associated with greater improvements in state body appreciation in both subsamples. These results support the prioritization of access to natural environments to promote healthier body image.
AB - Recent studies have reported that nature exposure is associated with more positive body image - a multifaceted construct that includes one's body-related thoughts, feelings, and behaviors - but these studies are constrained by a focus on limited national contexts and environment types. To rectify this, we examined the impact of nature exposure on state body image in diverse national contexts and across different environment types. In Study 1, 140 Romanian and 161 Spanish adults who visited botanic gardens were asked to complete a measure of state body appreciation on entry and again upon exit, as well as report their visit duration. Analyses indicated that there was a significant increase in body appreciation scores in both subsamples (ds = 0.52, 0.68), but exit scores were significantly higher in the Spanish compared to the Romanian group (d = 0.26). Visit duration was significantly and weakly associated with greater improvements in state body image change only in the Spanish subsample. In Study 2, the same procedures were repeated with Malaysian adults who visited a green space (n = 351) or blue space (n = 351). Analyses showed a significant increase in body appreciation scores in both subsamples (ds = 0.66, 0.99), with exit scores being significantly higher in the blue- compared to the green-space group (d = 0.40). Visit duration was significantly, albeit weakly, associated with greater improvements in state body appreciation in both subsamples. These results support the prioritization of access to natural environments to promote healthier body image.
KW - Blue space
KW - Botanic gardens
KW - Green space
KW - Nature exposure
KW - Positive body image
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85081642082&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1089/eco.2019.0065
DO - 10.1089/eco.2019.0065
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85081642082
SN - 1942-9347
VL - 12
SP - 24
EP - 35
JO - Ecopsychology
JF - Ecopsychology
IS - 1
ER -