Nature Exposure and Children’s Health and Wellbeing

Even though there are scientifically proven results of the benefits of nature exposure, there is still lack of research studying the associations with family nature visits and the wellbeing of young children. The research focusing on young children is important as nature experiences in childhood may predict nature exposure as an adult.

The main research questions in Naturkraft consist of whether there are sociodemographic and mental health factors related to nature visits within families with young children, are frequent visits to nature related to children’s physical activity or other health  behaviours or their nature connectedness.

The research project focuses on families with children aged 2–12 years. The project uses data from the DAGIS-studies conducted in 2015–16, 2017–18 and 2023–2024. Data is derived from questionnaires filled-in by parents and schoolchildren and from accelerometers worn by children during one week. The project has also used data from a web-based questionnaire filled by parents, in a study which was conducted as a collaboration project with Folkhälsans förbund Naturkraft-project in spring 2019. The Naturkraft research project started in autumn 2020 and it is still running.