A Walk in the Park: Simple Route to Becoming 'Generous and Sociable'

A research has indicated that a walk in the park is more than just a nice way to spend an afternoon - it makes you more generous and sociable too.

After undergoing rigorous scientific scrutiny, University of Illinois environment and behavior researcher Frances "Ming" Kuo has said that the benefits of nature still stand.

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"Just as rats and other laboratory animals housed in unfit environments undergo systematic breakdowns in healthy, positive patterns of social functioning, so do people," she said.

"In greener settings, we find that people are more generous and more sociable. We find stronger neighborhood social ties and greater sense of community, more mutual trust and willingness to help others.

"In less green environments, we find higher rates of aggression, violence, violent crime, and property crime-even after controlling for income and other differences," she said. "We also find more evidence of loneliness and more individuals reporting inadequate social support," she added.

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If that isn't convincing enough, Kuo said the impacts of parks and green environments on human health extend beyond social and psychological health outcomes to include physical health outcomes.

Greener environments enhance recovery from surgery, enable and support higher levels of physical activity, improve immune system functioning, help diabetics achieve healthier blood glucose levels, and improve functional health status and independent living skills among older adults.

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Source-ANI

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