Harvesting More Than Vegetables: The Potential Weight Control Benefits of Community Gardening

Abstract

Objectives. We examined the association of participation in community gardening with healthy body weight. Methods. We examined body mass index (BMI) data from 198 community gardening participants in Salt Lake City, Utah, in relationship to BMI data for 3 comparison groups: neighbors, siblings, and spouses. In comparisons, we adjusted for gender, age, and the year of the BMI measurement. Results. Both women and men community gardeners had significantly lower BMIs than did their neighbors who were not in the community gardening program. The estimated BMI reductions in the multivariate analyses were −1.84 for women and −2.36 for men. We also observed significantly lower BMIs for women community gardeners compared with their sisters (−1.88) and men community gardeners compared with their brothers (−1.33). Community gardeners also had lower odds of being overweight or obese than did their otherwise similar neighbors. Conclusions. The health benefits of community gardening may go beyond enhancing the gardeners’ intake of fruits and vegetables. Community gardens may be a valuable element of land use diversity that merits consideration by public health officials who want to identify neighborhood features that promote health.

Community and home gardens increase vegetable intake and food security of residents in San Jose, California

“…Gardening has been associated with a healthier diet and lower BMIs (Alaimo et al 2008;Litt et al 2011;van den Berg et al 2010;Wakefield et al 2007;Zick et al 2013). Although participants in our study were overweight, the majority reported good to excellent health.…”

“…Similarly, other studies have shown that community gardens provide a space and activity around which to socialize and develop social networks (Carney et al 2012;Harris et al 2014;Pitt 2014;Zick et al 2013). …”

Nature and Health

“…A third study (25) observed a relationship of quality (but not quantity) of streetscape greenery with "green" activity, though not with total physical activity. Finally, recent results suggest that community gardening is associated with a lower body mass index (141).…”

Typically Diverse: The Nature of Urban Agriculture in South Australia

“…Some home food gardeners may view their time and money as worthwhile resources to spend in exchange for engaging in other sustainable behaviors, such as composting their food and garden wastes or caring for the environment by growing food organically. Of course, there are also the well-documented social, mental, health, and education benefits associated with engaging in and practicing UA [55][56][57][58][59][60].…”