Outdoor blue spaces, human health and well-being: a systematic review of quantitative studies

BACKGROUND: A growing number of quantitative studies have investigated the potential benefits of outdoor blue spaces (lakes, rivers, sea, etc) and human health, but there is not yet a systematic review synthesizing this evidence. OBJECTIVES: To systematically review the current quantitative evidence...

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Authors: Gascon Merlos, Mireia, 1984-, Zijlema, Wilma, Vert Roca, Cristina, 1991-, White, Mathew P., Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.
Format: article
Status:Versión aceptada para publicación
Publication Date:2017
Country:España
Institution:Universitat Pompeu Fabra
Repository:Repositorio Digital de la UPF
OAI Identifier:oai:repositori.upf.edu:10230/33228
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10230/33228
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2017.08.004
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Vida a l&apos
aire lliure
Salut
Benestar
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spelling Outdoor blue spaces, human health and well-being: a systematic review of quantitative studiesGascon Merlos, Mireia, 1984-Zijlema, WilmaVert Roca, Cristina, 1991-White, Mathew P.Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.Vida a l&aposaire lliureSalutBenestarBACKGROUND: A growing number of quantitative studies have investigated the potential benefits of outdoor blue spaces (lakes, rivers, sea, etc) and human health, but there is not yet a systematic review synthesizing this evidence. OBJECTIVES: To systematically review the current quantitative evidence on human health and well-being benefits of outdoor blue spaces. METHODS: Following PRISMA guidelines for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analysis, observational and experimental quantitative studies focusing on both residential and non-residential outdoor blue space exposure were searched using specific keywords. RESULTS: In total 35 studies were included in the current systematic review, most of them being classified as of "good quality" (N=22). The balance of evidence suggested a positive association between greater exposure to outdoor blue spaces and both benefits to mental health and well-being (N=12 studies) and levels of physical activity (N=13 studies). The evidence of an association between outdoor blue space exposure and general health (N=6 studies), obesity (N=8 studies) and cardiovascular (N=4 studies) and related outcomes was less consistent. CONCLUSIONS: Although encouraging, there remains relatively few studies and a large degree of heterogeneity in terms of study design, exposure metrics and outcome measures, making synthesis difficult. Further research is needed using longitudinal research and natural experiments, preferably across a broader range of countries, to better understand the causal associations between blue spaces, health and wellbeing.This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 666773Elsevier20172017info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersionapplication/pdfapplication/pdfhttp://hdl.handle.net/10230/33228http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2017.08.004reponame:Repositorio Digital de la UPFinstname:Universitat Pompeu FabraInglésInternational Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health. 2017 Nov;220(8):1207-21info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/666773© Elsevier http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2017.08.004info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessoai:repositori.upf.edu:10230/332282026-06-12T07:21:37Z
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Outdoor blue spaces, human health and well-being: a systematic review of quantitative studies
title Outdoor blue spaces, human health and well-being: a systematic review of quantitative studies
spellingShingle Outdoor blue spaces, human health and well-being: a systematic review of quantitative studies
Gascon Merlos, Mireia, 1984-
Vida a l&apos
aire lliure
Salut
Benestar
title_short Outdoor blue spaces, human health and well-being: a systematic review of quantitative studies
title_full Outdoor blue spaces, human health and well-being: a systematic review of quantitative studies
title_fullStr Outdoor blue spaces, human health and well-being: a systematic review of quantitative studies
title_full_unstemmed Outdoor blue spaces, human health and well-being: a systematic review of quantitative studies
title_sort Outdoor blue spaces, human health and well-being: a systematic review of quantitative studies
dc.creator.none.fl_str_mv Gascon Merlos, Mireia, 1984-
Zijlema, Wilma
Vert Roca, Cristina, 1991-
White, Mathew P.
Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.
author Gascon Merlos, Mireia, 1984-
author_facet Gascon Merlos, Mireia, 1984-
Zijlema, Wilma
Vert Roca, Cristina, 1991-
White, Mathew P.
Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.
author_role author
author2 Zijlema, Wilma
Vert Roca, Cristina, 1991-
White, Mathew P.
Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.
author2_role author
author
author
author
dc.subject.none.fl_str_mv Vida a l&apos
aire lliure
Salut
Benestar
topic Vida a l&apos
aire lliure
Salut
Benestar
description BACKGROUND: A growing number of quantitative studies have investigated the potential benefits of outdoor blue spaces (lakes, rivers, sea, etc) and human health, but there is not yet a systematic review synthesizing this evidence. OBJECTIVES: To systematically review the current quantitative evidence on human health and well-being benefits of outdoor blue spaces. METHODS: Following PRISMA guidelines for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analysis, observational and experimental quantitative studies focusing on both residential and non-residential outdoor blue space exposure were searched using specific keywords. RESULTS: In total 35 studies were included in the current systematic review, most of them being classified as of "good quality" (N=22). The balance of evidence suggested a positive association between greater exposure to outdoor blue spaces and both benefits to mental health and well-being (N=12 studies) and levels of physical activity (N=13 studies). The evidence of an association between outdoor blue space exposure and general health (N=6 studies), obesity (N=8 studies) and cardiovascular (N=4 studies) and related outcomes was less consistent. CONCLUSIONS: Although encouraging, there remains relatively few studies and a large degree of heterogeneity in terms of study design, exposure metrics and outcome measures, making synthesis difficult. Further research is needed using longitudinal research and natural experiments, preferably across a broader range of countries, to better understand the causal associations between blue spaces, health and wellbeing.
publishDate 2017
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2017
2017
dc.type.none.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersion
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dc.identifier.none.fl_str_mv http://hdl.handle.net/10230/33228
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2017.08.004
url http://hdl.handle.net/10230/33228
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2017.08.004
dc.language.none.fl_str_mv Inglés
language_invalid_str_mv Inglés
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health. 2017 Nov;220(8):1207-21
info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/H2020/666773
dc.rights.none.fl_str_mv © Elsevier http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2017.08.004
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv © Elsevier http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2017.08.004
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Elsevier
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv reponame:Repositorio Digital de la UPF
instname:Universitat Pompeu Fabra
instname_str Universitat Pompeu Fabra
reponame_str Repositorio Digital de la UPF
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