The relationship between natural outdoor environments and cognitive functioning and its mediators

Wilma L. Zijlema; Margarita Triguero-Mas; Graham Smith; Marta Cirach; David Martinez; Payam Dadvand; Mireia Gascon; Marc Jones; Christopher Gidlow; Gemma Hurst; Daniel Masterson; Naomi Ellis; Magdalena van den Berg; Jolanda Maas; Irene van Kamp; Peter van den Hazel; Hanneke Kruize; Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen; Jordi Julvez

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2017.02.017

The relationship between natural outdoor environments and cognitive functioning and its mediators

Wilma L. Zijlema^*
, Margarita Triguero-Mas
, Graham Smith
, Marta Cirach
, David Martinez
, Payam Dadvand
, Mireia Gascon
, Marc Jones
, Christopher Gidlow
, Gemma Hurst
, Daniel Masterson
, Naomi Ellis
, Magdalena van den Berg
, Jolanda Maas
, Irene van Kamp
, Peter van den Hazel
, Hanneke Kruize
, Mark J. Nieuwenhuijsen
, Jordi Julvez

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to Journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

334 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Background Urban residents may experience cognitive fatigue and little opportunity for mental restoration due to a lack of access to nature. Natural outdoor environments (NOE) are thought to be beneficial for cognitive functioning, but underlying mechanisms are not clear. Objectives To investigate the long-term association between NOE and cognitive function, and its potential mediators. Methods This cross-sectional study was based on adult participants of the Positive Health Effects of the Natural Outdoor Environment in Typical Populations in Different Regions in Europe (PHENOTYPE) project. Data were collected in Barcelona, Spain; Doetinchem, the Netherlands; and Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom. We assessed residential distance to NOE, residential surrounding greenness, perceived amount of neighborhood NOE, and engagement with NOE. Cognitive function was assessed with the Color Trails Test (CTT). Mediation analysis was undertaken following Baron and Kenny. Results Each 100 m increase in residential distance to NOE was associated with a longer CTT completion time of 1.50% (95% CI 0.13, 2.89). No associations were found for other NOE indicators and cognitive function. Neighborhood social cohesion was (marginally) significantly associated with both residential distance to NOE and CTT completion time, but no evidence for mediation was found. Nor were there indications for mediation by physical activity, social interaction with neighbors, loneliness, mental health, air pollution worries, or noise annoyance. Conclusions Our findings provide some indication that proximity to nature may benefit cognitive function. We could not establish which mechanisms may explain this relationship.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	268-275
Number of pages	8
Journal	Environmental Research
Volume	155
Early online date	10 Mar 2017
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2017.02.017
Publication status	Published - May 2017

Funding

The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007–2013) under grant agreement no 282996. Margarita Triguero-Mas is funded by a pre-doctoral grant from the Catalan Government (AGAUR FI-DGR-2013). Payam Dadvand is funded by a Ramón y Cajal fellowship (RYC-2012–10995) awarded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. ISGlobal is a member of the CERCA Programme, Generalitat de Catalunya. This study has been funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III through the projects “CP14/00108 & PI16/00261″ (Co-funded by European Regional Development Fund “A way to make Europe”). Jordi Julvez was funded by a Miguel Servet fellowship (MS14/00108) awarded by the Spanish Institute of Health Carlos III (Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Funders	Funder number
Spanish Institute of Health Carlos III
Seventh Framework Programme	282996
Generalitat de Catalunya
Agència de Gestió d'Ajuts Universitaris i de Recerca	FI-DGR-2013, RYC-2012–10995
Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad
Instituto de Salud Carlos III	PI16/00261″, CP14/00108
Seventh Framework Programme
European Regional Development Fund	MS14/00108

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities

Keywords

Built environment
Cognition
Environmental epidemiology
Green space
Mediation
Natural outdoor environments

Access to Document

10.1016/j.envres.2017.02.017

The relationship between natural outdoor environments and cognitive functioning and its mediatorsFinal published version, 257 KBLicence: Article 25fa Dutch Copyright Act

Persistent URL (handle)

Persistent link

Cite this

Zijlema, W. L., Triguero-Mas, M., Smith, G., Cirach, M., Martinez, D., Dadvand, P., Gascon, M., Jones, M., Gidlow, C., Hurst, G., Masterson, D., Ellis, N., van den Berg, M., Maas, J., van Kamp, I., van den Hazel, P., Kruize, H., Nieuwenhuijsen, M. J., & Julvez, J. (2017). The relationship between natural outdoor environments and cognitive functioning and its mediators. Environmental Research, 155, 268-275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2017.02.017

@article{130be1e9982f438cbfe9183530148589,

title = "The relationship between natural outdoor environments and cognitive functioning and its mediators",

abstract = "Background Urban residents may experience cognitive fatigue and little opportunity for mental restoration due to a lack of access to nature. Natural outdoor environments (NOE) are thought to be beneficial for cognitive functioning, but underlying mechanisms are not clear. Objectives To investigate the long-term association between NOE and cognitive function, and its potential mediators. Methods This cross-sectional study was based on adult participants of the Positive Health Effects of the Natural Outdoor Environment in Typical Populations in Different Regions in Europe (PHENOTYPE) project. Data were collected in Barcelona, Spain; Doetinchem, the Netherlands; and Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom. We assessed residential distance to NOE, residential surrounding greenness, perceived amount of neighborhood NOE, and engagement with NOE. Cognitive function was assessed with the Color Trails Test (CTT). Mediation analysis was undertaken following Baron and Kenny. Results Each 100 m increase in residential distance to NOE was associated with a longer CTT completion time of 1.50\% (95\% CI 0.13, 2.89). No associations were found for other NOE indicators and cognitive function. Neighborhood social cohesion was (marginally) significantly associated with both residential distance to NOE and CTT completion time, but no evidence for mediation was found. Nor were there indications for mediation by physical activity, social interaction with neighbors, loneliness, mental health, air pollution worries, or noise annoyance. Conclusions Our findings provide some indication that proximity to nature may benefit cognitive function. We could not establish which mechanisms may explain this relationship.",

keywords = "Built environment, Cognition, Environmental epidemiology, Green space, Mediation, Natural outdoor environments",

author = "Zijlema, \{Wilma L.\} and Margarita Triguero-Mas and Graham Smith and Marta Cirach and David Martinez and Payam Dadvand and Mireia Gascon and Marc Jones and Christopher Gidlow and Gemma Hurst and Daniel Masterson and Naomi Ellis and \{van den Berg\}, Magdalena and Jolanda Maas and \{van Kamp\}, Irene and \{van den Hazel\}, Peter and Hanneke Kruize and Nieuwenhuijsen, \{Mark J.\} and Jordi Julvez",

year = "2017",

month = may,

doi = "10.1016/j.envres.2017.02.017",

language = "English",

volume = "155",

pages = "268--275",

journal = "Environmental Research",

issn = "0013-9351",

publisher = "Academic Press Inc.",

}

Zijlema, WL, Triguero-Mas, M, Smith, G, Cirach, M, Martinez, D, Dadvand, P, Gascon, M, Jones, M, Gidlow, C, Hurst, G, Masterson, D, Ellis, N, van den Berg, M, Maas, J, van Kamp, I, van den Hazel, P, Kruize, H, Nieuwenhuijsen, MJ & Julvez, J 2017, 'The relationship between natural outdoor environments and cognitive functioning and its mediators', Environmental Research, vol. 155, pp. 268-275. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2017.02.017

TY - JOUR

T1 - The relationship between natural outdoor environments and cognitive functioning and its mediators

AU - Zijlema, Wilma L.

AU - Triguero-Mas, Margarita

AU - Smith, Graham

AU - Cirach, Marta

AU - Martinez, David

AU - Dadvand, Payam

AU - Gascon, Mireia

AU - Jones, Marc

AU - Gidlow, Christopher

AU - Hurst, Gemma

AU - Masterson, Daniel

AU - Ellis, Naomi

AU - van den Berg, Magdalena

AU - Maas, Jolanda

AU - van Kamp, Irene

AU - van den Hazel, Peter

AU - Kruize, Hanneke

AU - Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.

AU - Julvez, Jordi

PY - 2017/5

Y1 - 2017/5

N2 - Background Urban residents may experience cognitive fatigue and little opportunity for mental restoration due to a lack of access to nature. Natural outdoor environments (NOE) are thought to be beneficial for cognitive functioning, but underlying mechanisms are not clear. Objectives To investigate the long-term association between NOE and cognitive function, and its potential mediators. Methods This cross-sectional study was based on adult participants of the Positive Health Effects of the Natural Outdoor Environment in Typical Populations in Different Regions in Europe (PHENOTYPE) project. Data were collected in Barcelona, Spain; Doetinchem, the Netherlands; and Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom. We assessed residential distance to NOE, residential surrounding greenness, perceived amount of neighborhood NOE, and engagement with NOE. Cognitive function was assessed with the Color Trails Test (CTT). Mediation analysis was undertaken following Baron and Kenny. Results Each 100 m increase in residential distance to NOE was associated with a longer CTT completion time of 1.50% (95% CI 0.13, 2.89). No associations were found for other NOE indicators and cognitive function. Neighborhood social cohesion was (marginally) significantly associated with both residential distance to NOE and CTT completion time, but no evidence for mediation was found. Nor were there indications for mediation by physical activity, social interaction with neighbors, loneliness, mental health, air pollution worries, or noise annoyance. Conclusions Our findings provide some indication that proximity to nature may benefit cognitive function. We could not establish which mechanisms may explain this relationship.

AB - Background Urban residents may experience cognitive fatigue and little opportunity for mental restoration due to a lack of access to nature. Natural outdoor environments (NOE) are thought to be beneficial for cognitive functioning, but underlying mechanisms are not clear. Objectives To investigate the long-term association between NOE and cognitive function, and its potential mediators. Methods This cross-sectional study was based on adult participants of the Positive Health Effects of the Natural Outdoor Environment in Typical Populations in Different Regions in Europe (PHENOTYPE) project. Data were collected in Barcelona, Spain; Doetinchem, the Netherlands; and Stoke-on-Trent, United Kingdom. We assessed residential distance to NOE, residential surrounding greenness, perceived amount of neighborhood NOE, and engagement with NOE. Cognitive function was assessed with the Color Trails Test (CTT). Mediation analysis was undertaken following Baron and Kenny. Results Each 100 m increase in residential distance to NOE was associated with a longer CTT completion time of 1.50% (95% CI 0.13, 2.89). No associations were found for other NOE indicators and cognitive function. Neighborhood social cohesion was (marginally) significantly associated with both residential distance to NOE and CTT completion time, but no evidence for mediation was found. Nor were there indications for mediation by physical activity, social interaction with neighbors, loneliness, mental health, air pollution worries, or noise annoyance. Conclusions Our findings provide some indication that proximity to nature may benefit cognitive function. We could not establish which mechanisms may explain this relationship.

KW - Built environment

KW - Cognition

KW - Environmental epidemiology

KW - Green space

KW - Mediation

KW - Natural outdoor environments

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85014081037

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85014081037#tab=citedBy

U2 - 10.1016/j.envres.2017.02.017

DO - 10.1016/j.envres.2017.02.017

M3 - Article

C2 - 28254708

AN - SCOPUS:85014081037

SN - 0013-9351

VL - 155

SP - 268

EP - 275

JO - Environmental Research

JF - Environmental Research

ER -

The relationship between natural outdoor environments and cognitive functioning and its mediators

Abstract

Funding

UN SDGs

Keywords

Access to Document

Persistent URL (handle)

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this