Study unearths anti-cancer benefit of gardening
Gardening is more than just good for your health. A recent study discovered a significant benefit of gardening, namely that the activity may indirectly reduce a person’s cancer risk.
The University of Colorado at Boulder study found that those who began gardening consumed more fiber and increased their physical activity, both of which are recommended ways to reduce the risk of cancer and other diseases. They also experienced a significant drop in stress and anxiety.
Researchers from the Colorado School of Public Health, Colorado State University, and Michigan State University also contributed to this American Cancer Society-funded study.
The findings, published in the journal Lancet Planetary Health in January, aim to provide solid proof that community gardening could play an important role in preventing cancer, chronic diseases, and mental health disorders, according to senior author Jill Litt, a professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at CU Boulder.
Litt gathered 291 non-gardening adults, with an average age of 41, from the Denver area for the study. More than one-third were Hispanic, and more than half were from low-income families.
Following the last spring frost, half of the participants were assigned to the community gardening group, while the other half were assigned to a control group that was instructed to wait one year before beginning gardening.
Through the nonprofit Denver Urban Gardens program and a study partner, the gardening group received a free community garden plot, seeds and seedlings, and an introductory gardening course.
As reported, both groups completed surveys about their nutritional intake and mental health on a regular basis, as well as had their bodies measured and wore activity monitors.
By the fall, those in the gardening group were eating 7% more fiber per day, or 1.4 grams more fiber per day on average, than the control group.
The gardening group also increased their weekly physical activity by about 42 minutes. Participants met 28% of the public health agencies’ recommended minimum of 150 minutes per week with just two to three visits to the community garden per week.
Participants in the study also experienced a reduction in stress and anxiety, with those who entered the study the most stressed and anxious experiencing the greatest reduction in mental health issues.
According to Litt, the activity allowed participants to grow their own food and interact with their neighbors, sharing techniques and recipes as relationships grew over time. “It’s not just about the fruits and vegetables; it’s also about being in nature with others,” she explained.
Litt anticipates that the research will persuade medical professionals, decision-makers, and land planners to value community gardens and other outdoor gathering areas as vital parts of the public health system.
Material source: https://www.colorado.edu/
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