New Delhi, Feb 04, 2023: Lifestyle habits are often among the leading causes of various non-communicable and other chronic diseases. However, a recent study showed that participating in nature-based community interventions could lower the risk of diseases like cancer, cardiovascular and diabetes in adults.

Researchers from the University of Colorado, whose study was published in the journal Lancet Planetary Health, found that one powerful impact on a person’s overall health is gardening. Funded by the American Cancer Society, the findings showed that community gardening played an important role in preventing chronic diseases and mental health disorders.

Senior author Jill Litt, a professor in the Department of Environmental Studies at CU Boulder said, “These findings provide concrete evidence that community gardening could play an important role in preventing cancer, chronic diseases and mental health disorders.”

While the team is looking further into community gardening as a potential health intervention in urban areas, in this case, they ran a study at 37 community gardens in Denver and Aurora in Colorado, US. The 291 participants were divided into two groups. One group was assigned to garden by providing them with a garden plot, seeds, seedlings and an introduction course on gardening.

During the study, the researchers found that people who gardened ate more fruits and vegetables than their counterparts and even consumed 1.4 grams more fibre a day than the control group. They were also slightly more active as they participated in moderate to vigorous physical activity during the study period. The gardeners even showed fewer signs of stress and anxiety than the non-gardening group.

The researchers concluded that though the gains were modest, small changes like gardening could be a way to prevent the risk of chronic diseases. Smoking, a poor diet and a sedentary lifestyle contribute to that risk.