Gardens are unique ecosystems with the potential to deliver an array of important environmental and health benefits, particularly for urban populations. A large body of research has established that contact with nature and activities within green spaces (including gardening) are beneficial for our physical, mental and social health. An adjacent body of research has explored whether and how pro-environmental behaviours are also linked to positive outcomes for human health and wellbeing. But published research has not yet established whether pro-environmental behaviour in the context of gardening (“sustainable horticulture”) further increases the health and wellbeing benefits that gardeners derive. This paper uses evidence from a nationally representative UK survey (n=2086) conducted in August 2021 to explore this question. We used multiple regression analysis to quantitatively demonstrate that a positive association between gardening more sustainably and perceived health benefits from gardening exists at the population level amongst UK adults. This finding implies the possibility that promoting environmentally-minded gardening techniques may lead to an increase in the health and wellbeing benefits that gardeners can derive from their actions. The paper puts forth a range of potential mechanisms that could explain the identified positive association between sustainable gardening and perceived health benefits and identifies related policy implications.

中文翻译：

---

参与可持续园艺与园丁更大的健康益处相关


花园是独特的生态系统，有可能带来一系列重要的环境和健康效益，特别是对于城市人口。大量研究表明，与自然的接触以及在绿色空间（包括园艺）内的活动有益于我们的身体、心理和社会健康。一项相邻的研究探讨了环保行为是否以及如何与人类健康和福祉的积极成果相关。但已发表的研究尚未确定园艺（“可持续园艺”）背景下的环保行为是否会进一步增加园丁获得的健康和福祉益处。本文使用 2021 年 8 月进行的一项具有全国代表性的英国调查 (n=2086) 的证据来探讨这个问题。我们使用多元回归分析来定量证明，在英国成年人中，更可持续的园艺与感知到的园艺健康益处之间存在正相关关系。这一发现意味着推广环保园艺技术可能会增加园丁从他们的行为中获得的健康和福祉益处。该论文提出了一系列潜在机制，可以解释可持续园艺与感知健康益处之间已确定的正相关关系，并确定相关的政策影响。