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Walking for Well-Being: Are Group Walks in Certain Types of Natural Environments Better for Well-Being than Group Walks in Urban Environments?

Author

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  • Melissa R. Marselle

    (Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development, De Montfort University, Queens Building, the Gateway, Leicester LE1 9BH, UK)

  • Katherine N. Irvine

    (Institute of Energy and Sustainable Development, De Montfort University, Queens Building, the Gateway, Leicester LE1 9BH, UK
    The James Hutton Institute, Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH, UK)

  • Sara L. Warber

    (University of Michigan Integrative Medicine, Department of Family Medicine, University of Michigan, 1018 Fuller Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104, USA)

Abstract

The benefits of walking in natural environments for well-being are increasingly understood. However, less well known are the impacts different types of natural environments have on psychological and emotional well-being. This cross-sectional study investigated whether group walks in specific types of natural environments were associated with greater psychological and emotional well-being compared to group walks in urban environments. Individuals who frequently attended a walking group once a week or more ( n = 708) were surveyed on mental well-being (Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale), depression (Major Depressive Inventory), perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale) and emotional well-being (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule). Compared to group walks in urban environments, group walks in farmland were significantly associated with less perceived stress and negative affect, and greater mental well-being. Group walks in green corridors were significantly associated with less perceived stress and negative affect. There were no significant differences between the effect of any environment types on depression or positive affect. Outdoor walking group programs could be endorsed through “green prescriptions” to improve psychological and emotional well-being, as well as physical activity.

Suggested Citation

  • Melissa R. Marselle & Katherine N. Irvine & Sara L. Warber, 2013. "Walking for Well-Being: Are Group Walks in Certain Types of Natural Environments Better for Well-Being than Group Walks in Urban Environments?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-26, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:10:y:2013:i:11:p:5603-5628:d:29967
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    Cited by:

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    2. Daniela Haluza & Regina Schönbauer & Renate Cervinka, 2014. "Green Perspectives for Public Health: A Narrative Review on the Physiological Effects of Experiencing Outdoor Nature," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-17, May.
    3. Wioletta Szymczak & Krzysztof Jurek & Monika Dobrogowska, 2024. "Values associated with Nordic Walking: An international cross-sectional survey among individuals practicing walking with poles," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(12), pages 1-18, December.
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    5. Phoebe R. Maund & Katherine N. Irvine & Jonathan Reeves & Emily Strong & Ruth Cromie & Martin Dallimer & Zoe G. Davies, 2019. "Wetlands for Wellbeing: Piloting a Nature-Based Health Intervention for the Management of Anxiety and Depression," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(22), pages 1-17, November.
    6. Marta Cornax-Martín & Nuria Nebot-Gómez de Salazar & Carlos Rosa-Jiménez & Ana Luque-Gil, 2020. "Healthy Cities, New Technologies and Sustainability: A Collaborative Mapping of Informal Sport Activity in the Public Space of Cities as an Innovative Tool for Understanding City Sport Phenomena," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(19), pages 1-20, October.
    7. Sung-Kwon Hong & Sang-Woo Lee & Hyun-Kil Jo & Miyeon Yoo, 2019. "Impact of Frequency of Visits and Time Spent in Urban Green Space on Subjective Well-Being," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(15), pages 1-25, August.
    8. Dongfang Zhu & Linsheng Zhong & Hu Yu, 2021. "Progress on Relationship between Natural Environment and Mental Health in China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-17, January.
    9. Herziger, Atar & Claborn, Kelly A. & Brooks, Jeremy S., 2020. "Is There Hope for the Double Dividend? How Social Context Can Shape Synergies and Tradeoffs between Sustainable Consumption and Well-Being," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
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    11. Katherine N. Irvine & Melissa R. Marselle & Alan Melrose & Sara L. Warber, 2020. "Group Outdoor Health Walks Using Activity Trackers: Measurement and Implementation Insight from a Mixed Methods Feasibility Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-21, April.
    12. Scerri, Karyn & Attard, Maria, 2025. "Active travel street intervention ideas in Malta: Evaluating citizen feedback using sentiment analysis," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 126(C).
    13. Thivya Laxshmy Raman & Nor Akmar Abdul Aziz & Sam Shor Nahar Yaakob, 2021. "The Effects of Different Natural Environment Influences on Health and Psychological Well-Being of People: A Case Study in Selangor," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-14, August.
    14. Melissa R. Marselle & Katherine N. Irvine & Altea Lorenzo-Arribas & Sara L. Warber, 2014. "Moving beyond Green: Exploring the Relationship of Environment Type and Indicators of Perceived Environmental Quality on Emotional Well-Being following Group Walks," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-25, December.
    15. Melissa R. Marselle & Sara L. Warber & Katherine N. Irvine, 2019. "Growing Resilience through Interaction with Nature: Can Group Walks in Nature Buffer the Effects of Stressful Life Events on Mental Health?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-25, March.
    16. Yun Shu & Chengzhao Wu & Yujia Zhai, 2022. "Impacts of Landscape Type, Viewing Distance, and Permeability on Anxiety, Depression, and Stress," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(16), pages 1-22, August.
    17. Peng Yang & Shanshan Dai & Honggang Xu & Peng Ju, 2018. "Perceived Environmental, Individual and Social Factors of Long-Distance Collective Walking in Cities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-20, November.
    18. Ke-Tsung Han, 2021. "Effects of Three Levels of Green Exercise, Physical and Social Environments, Personality Traits, Physical Activity, and Engagement with Nature on Emotions and Attention," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-30, March.
    19. Naif Albujulaya & Clare Stevinson, 2023. "Exercise Promotion in Saudi Arabia: Understanding Personal, Environmental, and Social Determinants of Physical Activity Participation and Well-Being," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(4), pages 1-13, February.
    20. Fanli Jia & Kendall Soucie & Kyle Matsuba & Michael W. Pratt, 2021. "Meaning in Life Mediates the Association between Environmental Engagement and Loneliness," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(6), pages 1-12, March.
    21. Dahlia Stott & DeAndra Forde & Chetan Sharma & Jonathan M. Deutsch & Michael Bruneau & Jennifer A. Nasser & Mara Z. Vitolins & Brandy-Joe Milliron, 2024. "Interactions with Nature, Good for the Mind and Body: A Narrative Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(3), pages 1-26, March.
    22. Topaz Shrestha & Zelda Di Blasi & Marica Cassarino, 2021. "Natural or Urban Campus Walks and Vitality in University Students: Exploratory Qualitative Findings from a Pilot Randomised Controlled Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-17, February.

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