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Gardening in Childcare Centers: A Randomized Controlled Trial Examining the Effects of a Garden Intervention on Physical Activity among Children Aged 3–5 Years in North Carolina

Author

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  • Nancy M. Wells

    (Department of Human Centered Design, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University, 1300F MVR Hall, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA)

  • Nilda Graciela Cosco

    (Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, College of Design, North Carolina State University, 50 Pullen Road, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA)

  • Derek Hales

    (Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1700 Martin L. King Jr. Blvd., CB 7426, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA)

  • Muntazar Monsur

    (Department of Landscape Architecture, Davis College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA)

  • Robin C. Moore

    (Department of Landscape Architecture and Environmental Planning, College of Design, North Carolina State University, 50 Pullen Road, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA)

Abstract

This study examined the effects of a childcare gardening intervention on children’s physical activity (PA). Eligible childcare centers were randomly assigned to: (1) garden intervention ( n = 5; year 1); (2) waitlist control ( n = 5; control year 1, intervention year 2); or (3) control ( n = 5; year 2 only) groups. Across the two-year study, PA was measured for 3 days at four data collection periods using Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometers. The intervention comprised 6 raised fruit and vegetable garden beds and a gardening guide with age-appropriate learning activities. The sample included a total of 321 3–5-year-olds enrolled in childcare centers in Wake County, North Carolina, with n = 293 possessing PA data for at least one time point. The analyses employed repeated measures linear mixed models (SAS v 9.4 PROC MIXED), accounting for clustering of the children within the center and relevant covariates (e.g., cohort, weather, outside days, accelerometer wear). A significant intervention effect was found for MVPA ( p < 0.0001) and SED minutes ( p = 0.0004), with children at intervention centers acquiring approximately 6 min more MVPA and 14 min less sedentary time each day. The effects were moderated by sex and age, with a stronger impact for boys and the youngest children. The results suggest that childcare gardening has potential as a PA intervention.

Suggested Citation

  • Nancy M. Wells & Nilda Graciela Cosco & Derek Hales & Muntazar Monsur & Robin C. Moore, 2023. "Gardening in Childcare Centers: A Randomized Controlled Trial Examining the Effects of a Garden Intervention on Physical Activity among Children Aged 3–5 Years in North Carolina," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(11), pages 1-16, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:11:p:5939-:d:1154433
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. David S. Yeager & Paul Hanselman & Gregory M. Walton & Jared S. Murray & Robert Crosnoe & Chandra Muller & Elizabeth Tipton & Barbara Schneider & Chris S. Hulleman & Cintia P. Hinojosa & David Paunesk, 2019. "A national experiment reveals where a growth mindset improves achievement," Nature, Nature, vol. 573(7774), pages 364-369, September.
    2. Nilda Graciela Cosco & Nancy M. Wells & Muntazar Monsur & Lora Suzanne Goodell & Daowen Zhang & Tong Xu & Derek Hales & Robin Clive Moore, 2021. "Research Design, Protocol, and Participant Characteristics of COLEAFS: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial of a Childcare Garden Intervention," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-12, December.
    3. Dongying Li & Tess Menotti & Yizhen Ding & Nancy M. Wells, 2021. "Life Course Nature Exposure and Mental Health Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Future Directions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-28, May.
    4. Ariel Linden, 2015. "Conducting interrupted time-series analysis for single- and multiple-group comparisons," Stata Journal, StataCorp LP, vol. 15(2), pages 480-500, June.
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