Angela Hanscom

New Study Review Confirms Spending Time Outside is Good for Health

A new report reveals that exposure to green space reduces the risk of type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, premature death, preterm birth, stress, and high blood pressure. Populations with higher levels of green space exposure are also more likely to report good overall health. The research team from the University of East Anglia studied data from 20 countries including the UK, the US, Spain, France, Germany, Australia and Japan.

By Editor | Jul 13, 2018 | | | Science Daly

NATUREHOOD: Rediscovering Nature in Your ‘Hood

As you head out the door today to go to work, run errands or hike with friends, stop for a moment to think about your neighborhood. What does your neighborhood represent? How important is it to you? Now consider how your neighborhood and your concept of neighborhood...

By Bob Peart | Jul 13, 2018 | |

Green Space May Reduce Risk of Schizophrenia

Living in proximity to green space may reduce the risk of schizophrenia, particularly during childhood. Using satellite images of green spaces in Denmark, a group of Danish researchers from Aarhus University found that people who lived in areas with the least amount of green space faced an increased risk of developing schizophrenia compared to those who lived in areas with the most green space.

By Kathy Lynn | Jul 12, 2018 | | | North Shore News

Children Get Failing Grade for Physical Activity, Says Report

The Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth released by the non-profit organization ParticipAction indicates that only 35 percent of five to 17-year-olds and 62 percent of children ages three and four are getting the recommended physical activity. Study authors state that physical activity has profound impacts on kids’ brain health including increased cognitive skills to improved mental health.

By Kathy Lynn | Jul 12, 2018 | | | North Shore News

Canadian Neighborhood Declares ‘War on Fun’ With Ban on Outdoor Play

Children living in a neighborhood in western Canada have been prohibited from activities such as chalk drawing, bike riding and hockey, after a bylaw was passed banning all outside play from the street. The neighborhood council at a small housing development on Vancouver Island voted to ban the use of roadways for anything other than access to and from the community, for safety reasons.

By Ashifa Kassam | Jul 12, 2018 | | | Guardian

Famed Mexico City Fountain Gets Play Makeover

A historic Mexico City fountain will be transformed into a children’s playground. The playground was the winning design in a competition hosted by Mexico City’s new experimental office for civic innovation and urban creativity. The playground uses wooden ramps and horizontal grids to provide ‘moments of moderate risk which encourages interaction and dynamic play’.

By Simon Weedy | Jul 6, 2018 | | | Child in the City

A New Tool to Help Get the Most from Recess

In order to help students get optimal benefits from recess, a new study published in “BMC Public Health” looked at benefits of school recess beyond physical activity. Study researchers visited nearly 500 elementary schools spanning 22 urban and metropolitan areas in the U.S., examining safety, resources, student engagement, adult engagement, pro-social/anti-social behavior, and student empowerment during recess. As part of the study results, the researchers developed a 17-point checklist to optimize the playground experience.

By Youki Terada | Jul 6, 2018 | | | Edutopia

Study Cautions Agains Overcontrolling Parenting

A new University of Minnesota, Twin Cities study of more than 400 children finds that parents who exercise excessive control over their children from an early age may be putting their kids at a serious disadvantage. The findings suggest that overcontrolling parenting may prevent children from practicing emotional and behavioral control on their own. Such children, the study suggests, are ill-prepared to cope with stress and prone to lash out at others.

By Jordan Obey | Jul 6, 2018 | | | Fatherly

“Wilder” Nature Is Better for Your Health

A new study in the journal “Behavioral Sciences” compared three different “levels of nature”—a wilderness setting, an urban park, and an indoor exercise club—to see how they affect levels of stress. Using a psychological test plus a saliva test, the researchers from Indiana and Illinois State Universities found that the location with the highest level of nature had the greatest effect on reducing levels of stress as measured by the tests.

By Alex Hutchinson | Jun 29, 2018 | | | Outside Magazine

REI’s Rewilding Project Helps Improve the Wilderness Areas of Five Cities

Outdoor gear retailer REI is investing in parks and other outdoor areas around Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Washington, D.C. The efforts are a continuation of the Rewilding Project, which centers on trail-building, boosting sustainable management practices and increasing accessibility to the public.

By Kim Windyka | Jun 29, 2018 | | | PSFK

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News Center Items by Angela Hanscom