Impact of community gardening on lifestyles' sustainability: quantitative & qualitative evaluation of a natural experiment

Abstract Background: Despite the increasing number of studies on gardening and health, evidence of health benefits of community gardening is limited by cross-sectional design. The “JArDinS” quasi-experimental study aimed to assess the impact of community garden participation on the adoption of more sustainable lifestyles in French adults. Methods: Individuals starting gardening in community gardens in Montpellier (France) in 2018 (N=66) were compared to pairwise matched individuals with no experience in community gardening (N=66). Monthly household food supplies, physical activity measured by accelerometers and questionnaires on physical, mental and social well-being, sensitivity to food waste, and connection with nature were used to explore sustainability of lifestyles in social/health, environmental and economic dimensions. Data were collected at baseline (t0) and 12 months later (t1). Linear mixed models were used to determine the independent effect of community gardening on investigated lifestyles components. In-depth interviews were conducted at t1 with 15 gardeners to better understand changes that may have occurred in gardeners’ lives during the first year of gardening.Results: At t0, gardeners had lower education level, lower BMI and reported lower percentage of meals consumed outside of the home in total household meals compared to non-gardeners (p<0.05). At t1, the mean weight of fruit and vegetables harvested from the garden was 19.5g/d/p. Participating in the community garden had no significant impact on any of the social/health, environmental and economic lifestyle components investigated. Qualitative interviews suggested the existence of pre-established health and environmental consciousness in some gardeners and revealed several barriers to the participation such as lack of time, lack of gardening knowledge, difficulty of gardening, health problems and conflicts with other gardeners. Conclusions: Using a longitudinal design allowing causality assessment, no impact was observed of the first year of community gardening on lifestyle sustainability. The pre-established sensitivity to sustainability and the various barriers encountered by new gardeners might explain the absence of community gardening impact. Further rigorous longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether or not community gardening is a relevant public health tool.Trial registration: The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03694782. Date of registration: 3rd October 2018, retrospectively registered.

Download Full-text

Impact of community gardens on the sustainability of lifestyles: baseline data of the JArDinS study

European Journal of Public Health ◽

10.1093/eurpub/ckz186.435 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 29 (Supplement_4) ◽

Author(s):

M Tharrey ◽

M Perignon ◽

P Scheromm ◽

C Mejean ◽

N Darmon

Keyword(s):

Food Supply ◽

Natural Experiment ◽

Community Gardens ◽

Social Health ◽

Control Group ◽

Community Garden ◽

Community Gardening ◽

Sustainable Lifestyles ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

The Impact

Abstract Introduction Despite growing evidence for the multiple health benefits of community gardening, longitudinal studies based on quantitative data are needed. JArDinS is a quasi-experimental study aimed at assessing the impact of community garden participation in the adoption of more sustainable lifestyles. Materials and Methods Gardeners starting gardening in a community garden in Montpellier (France) were recruited in 2018. Volunteers with no experience in community gardening and matched for age range, gender, household income and household composition were recruited in a control group. A recruitment goal of 80 participants per group was determined to detect a 30% increase in F&V supply in the gardeners group. Participant were issued with three tools: a Food Supply Dairy to collect data on monthly household’s food supply, a triaxial accelerometer to measure physical activity and an online questionnaire on mental and social health, sensitivity to food waste, and connection with nature. Measures have been collected at baseline and will be repeated 12 months later. Data collected are examined conjointly to assess the sustainability of lifestyles in its social/health, environmental and economic dimensions. Change of outcomes after 1 year will be compared between the natural experiment and the control groups, to evaluate the effect of access to a community garden on the sustainability of lifestyles. Results A final number of 77 participants per group were enrolled at baseline, which is 4% less the original recruitment goal. Baseline data for the natural experiment group and the control group are currently being analysed and will be presented. Discussion This study will provide valuable information about the potential of community gardens to favor sustainable lifestyles, based on a robust quasi-experimental design allowing causality evaluation. Findings could help developing policies toward more sustainable urban planning favoring both human and environmental health. Key messages For the first time, the JArDinS study will allow testing, the impact of community gardens on the sustainability of lifestyles. Results will help orient urban planning decisions towards healthier options.

Download Full-text

Improving lifestyles sustainability through community gardening: results and lessons learnt from the JArDinS quasi-experimental study

BMC Public Health ◽

10.1186/s12889-020-09836-6 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marion Tharrey ◽

Ashby Sachs ◽

Marlène Perignon ◽

Chantal Simon ◽

Caroline Mejean ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Physical Activity ◽

Experimental Study ◽

Health Benefits ◽

Social Health ◽

Lower Percentage ◽

Community Garden ◽

Community Gardening ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Sustainable Lifestyles ◽

Quasi Experimental

Abstract Background Despite an increasing number of studies highlighting the health benefits of community gardening, the literature is limited by cross-sectional designs. The “JArDinS” quasi-experimental study aimed to assess the impact of community garden participation on the adoption of more sustainable lifestyles among French adults. Methods Individuals entering a community garden in Montpellier (France) in 2018 (n = 66) were compared with pairwise matched individuals with no experience in community gardening (n = 66). Nutritional quality, environmental impact and cost of monthly household food supplies, level of physical activity measured by accelerometers, as well as mental and social well-being, sensitivity to food waste, and connection with nature were evaluated at baseline (t0) and 12 months later (t1) to explore sustainability of lifestyles in social/health, environmental and economic dimensions. Linear mixed models were used to determine the independent effect of community gardening on investigated lifestyles components. In-depth interviews were conducted at t1 with 15 gardeners to better understand changes that may have occurred in gardeners’ lives during the first year of gardening. Results At t0, gardeners had lower education level, lower BMI and their household reported lower percentage of meals consumed outside of the home compared to non-gardeners (p < 0.05). Participating in the community garden had no significant impact, in spite of sufficient statistical power, on fruit and vegetables supplies (main outcome), nor on physical activity parameters, nor on others of the social/health, environmental and economic lifestyles components investigated. Qualitative interviews suggested the existence of pre-established health and environmental consciousness in some gardeners and revealed several barriers to the participation such as lack of time, lack of gardening knowledge, physical difficulty of gardening, health problems and conflicts with other gardeners. Conclusions The health benefits of community gardening previously reported by cross-sectional studies might be confounded by selection bias. The JArDinS study highlights the need to identify solutions to overcome barriers related to community garden participation when designing relevant public health interventions for the promotion of sustainable lifestyles. Trial registration The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT03694782. Date of registration: 3rd October 2018, retrospectively registered.

Download Full-text

The trouble with temporary: Impacts and pitfalls of a meanwhile community garden in Wythenshawe, South Manchester

Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems ◽

10.1017/s1742170517000291 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 33 (6) ◽

pp. 548-557

Author(s):

Rebecca St. Clair ◽

Michael Hardman ◽

Richard P. Armitage ◽

Graeme Sherriff

Keyword(s):

Urban Areas ◽

Community Gardens ◽

Fresh Fruit ◽

Fruit And Vegetables ◽

Community Garden ◽

Therapeutic Effects ◽

Small Community ◽

Community Gardening ◽

The Uk ◽

The Impact

AbstractThe rise of Urban Agriculture projects across the UK has led to a surge of interest in their efficacy and resulting social impacts. Real Food Wythenshawe is a Lottery-funded urban food project in the UK that aims to teach the population of Wythenshawe to grow their own food and to cook from scratch. The area, popularly referred to as ‘Europe's largest council estate’, suffers from high levels of deprivation and has been described as a ‘food desert’ due to a perceived lack of access to fresh fruit and vegetables (Small World Consulting, 2013). In order to encourage Wythenshawe residents to grow their own food and to increase access to fresh fruit and vegetables, Real Food Wythenshawe aims to transform unused areas of land into growing spaces, such as allotments and community gardens. This paper focuses on research conducted at a community garden in Wythenshawe, established by Real Food Wythenshawe as an example of a ‘meanwhile’ or temporary growing site for people affected by cancer. The research investigated the impact of the growing activities on community garden participants through a series of observations and interviews. The findings suggest that the benefits of the space were multiple and diverse, ranging from increased growing knowledge to therapeutic effects, while there has been minimal effect on participants’ dietary behavior. The organization of the community garden also raises questions over some of the practicalities of temporary urban growing sites and highlights the tensions that can arise between small community growing groups and larger institutions with control over land use. These findings add to a growing body of research that considers the value of growing in the city and reflects on the role of community gardening in deprived urban areas of the UK.

Download Full-text

Roots, Tendrils, Sprouts and Shoots: A Case Study of Parkallen’s Community Garden, a permaculture project

Earth Common Journal ◽

10.31542/j.ecj.82 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marlene Wurfel

Keyword(s):

Community Gardens ◽

Growing Season ◽

First Year ◽

Community Garden ◽

Community Gardening ◽

Apple Trees ◽

The City

The first growing season of Edmonton’s Parkallen Community Garden began in Spring 2012. We transformed an unused strip of lawn bordering our hockey rink into a loamy, thriving “edible food forest” of corn, beans, squash, kale, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, apple trees, and mammoth sunflowers. It is unlike most community gardens in that individual plots are not tended by individual gardeners; rather, the PCG is tended communally, by the community. The garden is open and accessible to the community, always, and all are welcome there, from the toddler whose only contribution is to chomp on a snowpea and water a dandelion, to the senior who wants to plant a tree in his community that he knows will outlive him. Hundreds of Parkallen residents have planted something, admired something, or munched on something there. In its first year Parkallen’s garden won The City of Edmonton’s top community gardening award from Communities in Bloom. This article is a case study of the Parkallen Community Garden. Through the lenses and observations of the author, it details how Parkallen’s permaculture design came, literally, to fruition and how permaculture has been interpreted and how it informs our garden and our gardening community.

Download Full-text

221 MEASURING THE IMPACT OF A COMMUNITY GARDENING PROGRAM

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.29.5.461c ◽

1994 ◽

Vol 29 (5) ◽

pp. 461c-461

Author(s):

William T. Hlubik ◽

Michael W. Hamm

Keyword(s):

Urban Communities ◽

Measurement Techniques ◽

Well Being ◽

First Year ◽

Research Approach ◽

Development Programs ◽

Evaluation Tool ◽

Community Gardening ◽

Statistical Survey ◽

The Impact

A comprehensive model for measuring the impact of community gardening on the physical, nutritional, and sociological structures of at-risk, urban communities is desperately needed to ensure the long-term sustainability of such programs. This presentation will focus on the stepwise formation and implementation of an evaluation tool which was developed to fill this urgent need. The intent of the research approach is to scientifically validate the connection between community gardening and community well-being. In partnership with noted horticultural researchers, urban gardeners, dietitians, and sociologists, we have developed a statistical survey which integrates scientifically proven evaluative methods with new measurement techniques. Preliminary findings from the first year of survey administration will be shared in order to stimulate further discussion and refinement of this particular model, and to encourage the development and implementation of scientifically-based, evaluative tools for other urban gardening and community development programs.

Download Full-text

COMMUNITY GARDENING DURING TIMES OF CRISIS: RECOMMENDATIONS FOR COMMUNITY-ENGAGED DIALOGUE, RESEARCH, AND PRAXIS

10.31235/osf.io/6587c ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Angie Mejia ◽

Manami Bhattacharya ◽

Amanda Nigon-Crowley ◽

Kelly Rae Kirkpatrick ◽

Chandi Katoch

Keyword(s):

Food Insecurity ◽

Recent Work ◽

Community Gardens ◽

Well Being ◽

Community Garden ◽

Community Gardening

Using ongoing reflections from our recent work as members of a community gardening initiative, we outline relevant priorities for researchers, policymakers, and community practitioners to examine the role of community gardens in addressing the effects of COVID-19 on the lives of intersectionally-diverse growers. To understand how COVID-19 has influenced the practices of community-led urban agricultural spaces, we suggest future efforts take into consideration three essential areas of focus: uses of community gardening in combating food insecurity during a pandemic, changes in community garden operations as a response to crises, and community gardening's role in nurturing emotional well-being.

Download Full-text

Participation in community gardening: Sowing the seeds of well-being

Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy ◽

10.1177/0008417421994385 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 000841742199438

Author(s):

Melinda J. Suto ◽

Shelagh Smith ◽

Natasha Damiano ◽

Shurli Channe

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Social Connectedness ◽

Community Gardens ◽

Well Being ◽

Supported Housing ◽

Research Approach ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Health Issues ◽

Community Gardening ◽

Mental Health Issues

Background. Sustaining well-being challenges people with serious mental health issues. Community gardening is an occupation used to promote clients’ well-being, yet there is limited evidence to support this intervention. Purpose. This paper examines how facilitated community gardening programs changed the subjective well-being and social connectedness of people living with mental health issues. Method. A community-based participatory research approach and qualitative methods were used with 23 adults living in supported housing and participating in supported community gardening programs. A constructivist approach guided inductive data analysis. Findings. Participation in community gardening programs enhanced well-being through welcoming places, a sense of belonging, and developing positive feelings through doing. The connection to living things and responsibility for plants grounded participants in the present and offered a unique venue for learning about gardening and themselves. Implications. Practitioners and service-users should collaborate to develop leadership, programs, places, and processes within community gardens to enhance well-being.

Download Full-text

303 Sleep Midpoint and Efficiency Moderate the Link Between Stress and Academic Cognitions in Latinx College Students

SLEEP ◽

10.1093/sleep/zsab072.302 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 44 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. A121-A121

Author(s):

Jeri Sasser ◽

Emma Lecarie ◽

Michaela Gusman ◽

HyeJung Park ◽

Leah Doane

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Academic Motivation ◽

Minority Group ◽

Well Being ◽

Sleep Efficiency ◽

First Year ◽

T1 And T2 ◽

College Stress ◽

The Impact

Abstract Introduction Latinx students are the largest ethnic/racial minority group in higher education, but are also the group least likely to graduate from a four-year institution. Research suggests that heightened stress perceptions may impede college students’ ability to perform well academically. Poorer sleep may compound the impact of stress on academic functioning. The present study examined the multiplicative effect of college-stress and actigraphy-measured sleep on academic cognitions within-and-across semesters. Methods 209 Latinx college students (Mage=18.95; 64.4% female, 85.1% Mexican descent) were assessed in the spring of the first year of college (T1) and fall of the second year (T2). At T1, participants wore an actigraph watch for 7 nights to measure total sleep time, sleep efficiency, and sleep midpoint. College-stress was assessed at T1 using the College Stress Scale. At T1 and T2, participants completed the Behavioral-Emotional-Cognitive School Engagement Scale, the Academic Self-Efficacy Scale, and a scale assessing academic motivation. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to assess the model fit of a two-factor model representing academic cognitions (engagement, self-efficacy, motivation) at T1 and T2. Latent variable path analysis models testing for moderation were conducted using Mplus. Results The CFA indicated excellent fit (χ2(5)= 2.91, p=.71, RMSEA=.00, CFI=1.00, TLI=1.01, SRMR=.02). College-stress was concurrently (β=-.19, p=.02), but not longitudinally, associated with academic cognitions. Sleep midpoint predicted academic cognitions at T1 (β=-.24, p<.01) and T2 (β=-.18, p=.03). Sleep efficiency (β=.18, p=.01) and sleep midpoint (β=-.17, p=.02) moderated associations between college-stress and T2 academic cognitions. Higher college-stress was longitudinally linked with lower academic cognitions for students with lower sleep efficiency (b=-.12, p=.01) and later sleep midpoints (b=-.14, p=.01). Conclusion Greater college-stress is concurrently linked with lower academic cognitions, whereas later sleep timing has both immediate and enduring consequences on students’ academic mindsets. The impact of college-stress on academic cognitions may depend on the quality and timing of sleep at the time of these stress perceptions. Programs that address stress reduction and sleep health may be promising interventions for improving academic well-being among first-year Latinx college students. Support (if any) This work was supported by a William T. Grant Foundation Scholars Award (184370) to L.D. Doane.

Download Full-text

“Developing Capabilities”. Inclusive Extracurricular Enrichment Programs to Improve the Well-Being of Gifted Adolescents

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.731591 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Ana María Casino-García ◽

María José Llopis-Bueno ◽

María Gloria Gómez-Vivo ◽

Amparo Juan-Grau ◽

Tamar Shuali-Trachtenberg ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gifted Students ◽

Well Being ◽

First Year ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

School Students ◽

Enrichment Programs ◽

School Year ◽

Enrichment Program ◽

Educational Inclusion ◽

The Impact

The educational inclusion of gifted students requires not only equity but also emotional accessibility and social participation. However, different studies indicate that gifted students constitute a vulnerable group (for example, the incidence of bullying is higher). Psychosocial variables are determinants for the development and expression of giftedness, particularly during adolescence. This study analyzes the impact of an inclusive extracurricular enrichment program for gifted secondary school students on the well-being of adolescents. The program was based on the enrichment model of Renzulli and Reis (2016). The objective was to develop a cluster to facilitate high-achieving learning in collaboration with teachers, administrators, and guidance counselors from their schools as well as university professors and students that would address their emotions and socialization across the board and benefit or involve their peers in their regular classrooms. The intervention took place over two years: eight sessions, one afternoon per week, for five months during each school year. The sample consisted of 47 students from the first and second years of compulsory secondary education (Educación Secundaria Obligatoria - ESO) (age, mean (M) = 12.57, standard deviation (SD) = 0.82) during the first year and 27 students from the first, second, and third years of ESO (age, M = 13.48, SD = 0.94) during the second year; 61.4% were girls. Participants completed a questionnaire before (T1) and (T3) and after (T2) and (T4) each intervention. The results show better outcomes for psychological and subjective well-being, more positive moods, and a significant reduction in school fears. The results from this study indicate the importance of educational screening and support for gifted students to promote their well-being through collaborative enrichment activities.

Download Full-text

2534. Development of an Infectious Diseases Fellowship Well-Being Program

Open Forum Infectious Diseases ◽

10.1093/ofid/ofz360.2212 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽

pp. S881-S881

Author(s):

Jehan Budak ◽

Cristina Brickman ◽

Emily Abdoler ◽

Erika Wallender ◽

Jennifer S Mulliken ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Infectious Diseases ◽

Well Being ◽

Fellowship Training ◽

Teaching Hospitals ◽

First Year ◽

Fellowship Program ◽

Protected Time ◽

Faculty Committee ◽

External Program ◽

The Impact

Abstract Background Burnout in graduate medical education is common and reported in ~70% of Internal Medicine (IM) residents. Most studies have described interventions focused on residency training, but fellowship training suffers from similar challenges and likely similar levels of burnout. After conducting a needs assessment amongst fellows within our Infectious Diseases (ID) fellowship program, we developed a wellness program to address these issues. Methods In Spring 2018, we reviewed the existing literature and consulted with local experts on trainee well-being. Based on our findings, we designed a multi-tiered approach to enhance wellness amongst fellows. An ID Fellowship Well-Being Committee (WBC) was created in September 2018 to lead the intervention. The WBC includes an even mix of fellows and faculty at multiple levels at all three main teaching hospitals associated with the program. Meetings occur every other month, and co-chairs (one faculty and one fellow) report back to the program director quarterly. Topic areas and interventions are described in Table 1. Fellows were sent a qualitative survey to evaluate the impact of the well-being interventions to date. Results Four of 5 first year fellows responded to the survey, and all felt the retreat should be repeated yearly. Themes identified from the survey included benefits of having protected time together, convening in a low pressure and informal setting to provide feedback, and spending quality time in a non-clinical setting with co-fellows. Fellows cited the wellness retreat as a strength at our annual fellowship external program review. Conclusion Burnout is likely high among IM sub-specialty fellows, and interventions are needed to support the well-being of those trainees. We describe a roadmap for the development of a well-being program at a relatively large, academic ID fellowship program led by a mixed fellow and faculty committee. We will continue to monitor data on fellow burnout and make programmatic changes based on feedback. We are hopeful that our work will empower other programs to engage in developing their own well-being programs. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.

Download Full-text