Gardening is not only a hobby or a way to beautify your surroundings, but it can also have significant health benefits, especially for children. A recent study conducted by a public health researcher at the University of Alberta has shown that helping children develop a green thumb could have lifelong health benefits, including preventing cancer.
Christina Gillies, the lead scientist in Cancer Prevention and Screening Innovation (CPSI) for Primary Care Alberta, conducted a rapid review of the literature focused on gardening initiatives for children and youth. The study found that gardening initiatives can improve nutrition-related knowledge and eating behaviors, increase physical activity, decrease sedentary behavior, and boost psychosocial factors like social connection and sense of belonging.
The research review, published in Public Health, analyzed 48 studies in high-income countries and highlighted the positive impact of gardening initiatives on children and youth. Gillies was inspired to investigate this topic after partnering with an Alberta First Nation community on a school-based gardening project. The project aimed to promote intergenerational and land-based learning, support cultural revitalization, and encourage healthy behaviors for students, staff, and the broader community.
Community gardening has been gaining popularity across Alberta, with more than 80 community gardens in Edmonton alone. Gillies emphasizes the importance of having champions to initiate and sustain gardening initiatives in school and community settings. These initiatives require human, land, and financial resources to be successful public health interventions.
Effective gardening initiatives for children and youth engage parents, peers, family members, and foster community partnerships. They also address equity-related factors like gender, socioeconomic status, race, ethnicity, and culture. Gillies plans to conduct further long-term studies to determine the best way for gardening initiatives to support and sustain positive lifestyle changes into adulthood and improve health outcomes.
In her own life, Gillies has started volunteering at the Laurier Heights Food Forest with her family. The community orchard, started by volunteers, grows raspberries, apples, haskaps, saskatoons, and flowers. Gardening has provided her with physical activity, enhanced community connection, and the opportunity to try different foods. She encourages others to give gardening a try, as it offers a wide range of benefits for both physical and mental health.
Overall, gardening initiatives for children and youth have the potential to prevent cancer and other chronic diseases by promoting healthy behaviors and creating supportive social and physical environments. By engaging with communities and fostering partnerships, these initiatives can have a lasting impact on health outcomes and improve overall well-being.
