Breadcrumbs
Natural England's Health Campaign
Growing medical evidence shows that access to the natural environment improves health and wellbeing, prevents disease and helps people recover from illness. Experiencing nature in the outdoors can help tackle childhood obesity, coronary heart disease, stress and mental health problems.
Latest news
Ecotherapy and the Green Agenda for Mental Health: Why health professionals need to get on board
[370 kB] - a conference on Monday 2 June 2008 examining the evidence on the mental health benefits of ecotherapy’ and ‘green exercise’. (9 April 2008)Walking the way to Health's new evaluation scheme going from strength to strength (27 March 2008)
Natural England says ‘Join the Outdoor Gym’ in 2008 – a walk is for life, not just for Christmas (27 December 2007)
We want people to be more active and make use of England’s great outdoors by joining the ‘Outdoor Gym’ in 2008. Natural England teams around England have put together a selection of great places to explore in the great outdoors wherever you live, see:
Walking the way to Health's Walk Finder
Find Breathing Places near you
Countyside Access - Things to do
Background
It is estimated that by 2020 half of all children could be obese. Studies suggest that there is more scope to increase children’s activity levels (and decrease their levels of obesity) by encouraging more outside play in greenspace than there is in formal sport.
Programmes providing regular healthy walks and organised activities to improve the local environment could be greatly expanded. The UK has one of the highest death rates from heart disease in Europe. 115,000 die prematurely each year. See the headline facts about the cost of obesity and physical inactivity.
Adults who become more active halve their risk of dying early from heart disease. People using the natural environment keep active longer.
We have an objective to provide accessible natural space within 300 metres of every home in England for exercise, relaxation and wellbeing
There is increasing evidence to show that regular access to the natural environment is important for children's development by encouraging outdoor play and improving concentration and behaviour. For adults too, one in six of whom is diagnosed as suffering from anxiety or depression each year, natural space has a restorative effect, improving the ability to cope with stressful situations and improved concentration and work output. Communities can be strengthened by the presence of green space encouraging a stronger social network with less crime.
It is a Government target to reduce the health divide between rich and poor. New urban greenspace, more Local Nature Reserves and programmes to encourage active use, can help redress this divide.
We also want to see more greenspace professionals able to improve the quality, quantity and usage levels of greenspace near where people live. We have an objective to provide accessible natural space within 300 metres (or five minutes' walk) of every home in England for exercise, relaxation and wellbeing.
Working with us
If you want to work with us to develop our campaign to expand the role of the natural environment in supporting health and wellbeing, please contact the Natural England Health campaign at: health.campaign@naturalengland.org.uk or our campaign manager Huw Davies on huw.davies@naturalengland.org.uk
Help us develop Natural England's Health Campaign [93 kB]
We have early support from the mental health charity Mind and the British Heart Foundation.
Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind, said, "There is growing evidence that a pleasant, positive environment can be beneficial for everyone's mental wellbeing. And the outdoors has great potential to help society tackle the problem of mental ill health. Because of this, it's very important that everyone be able to easily access and enjoy quality natural spaces."
Nicki Cooper, Head of Education and Medical Information at the British Heart Foundation, said, "Becoming more active and staying more active is an essential part of a healthy lifestyle. Because the outdoors offers so many ways of getting active, there are huge benefits to the economy, the NHS and us all as individuals if Natural England succeeds in getting more people out enjoying the natural environment."
Natural England Health Conference
Natural England's Health Conference "Health and the Natural Environment" took place on Monday 18 June at Lord’s Cricket Ground, London. The speaker presentations are available for download.