Additional Health Benefits Observed following a Nature Walk Compared to a Green Urban Walk in Healthy Females

Chronic stress and obesity are major public health concerns and represent significant risk

factors for a plethora of non-communicable diseases. Physical exercise represents a valuable health

intervention in both cases, providing benefits for mental and physical health, as well as appetite

regulation. While the emerging field of ‘green exercise’ suggests that the presence of nature may

amplify the benefits of exercise, the quality of evidence has been questioned. To address this, we

recruited 22 healthy females to complete a crossover randomised trial comprising a 75 min walk

in both a forest and urban area, separated by 2–7 days. Markers of mood (Profile of Mood States),

stress (sympathetic-adreno-medullar [resting heart rate, blood pressure] and hypothalamic–pituitary

axis activation [salivary cortisol]) and eating behaviour (energy intake and salivary ghrelin) were

measured before and after each walk. While both walking interventions improved mood and

reduced physiological stress, the nature intervention (but not the urban intervention) also led to

further improvements in total mood disturbance, depression, confusion and esteem-related affect

(F(1,21) ≥ 4.98, p ≤ 0.037). Salivary ghrelin (F(20) = 0.229, p = 0.637) and energy intake (t(20) = −0.54, p = 0.60) did not respond differently in the two environments. Overall, while walking improved

mood and physiological stress in both environments, walking in a forested environment provided

additional benefits for mood not seen following the urban walk.