Find out more about the event: https://www.greenforcare.eu/news/green-care-conference/

1. TAKING GREEN CARE TO THE NEXT LEVEL
International conference | 7.12.2022 | 10 am - 1 pm

2. Introduction to Green Care:
What do we know from science?
MATILDA VAN DEN BOSCH, BARCELONA INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL HEALTH

3. We need more trees
and less medicines!
Trees are Green Care!

4. Value of
€1.6bn to €4.4bn a year
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/dec/02/a-uk-tree-provides-
hundreds-of-pounds-of-benefits-a-year-report-finds

5. Pereira Barboza et al. 2021. Lancet Plan. Health. 5(10):718-730

6. Physical activity
Stress
reduction
Social contacts
Reduce the risk of
• Depression
• Cardiovascular
diseases and
mortality
• Stroke
• Diabetes
• Asthma
• Cancer
Increase levels of
• Mental well-being
• Happiness
• Academic
performance
• Memory capacity
• Sleep quality
Ecosystem Services
• Cooling of cities
• Storm-water runoff
• Reduced air pollution
• Providing microbiota
BIODIVERSITY

7. Hu et al. (2022). Dementia. Env Res. 216:114703
Zhang et al. (2022). Stress. Health & Place. 78:102924
Yu et al. Chronic respiratory disease. Env. Int. 107654
Weber et al. (2022). Birth defects. Env. Res. 114760
Tran et al. (2022). Air pollution reduction. Sust. Cit. & Soc. 104264
Roslund et al. (2022). Immunoregulation. Ecotox. Env. Saf. 242: 113900
Peng et al. (2022). Reduced COVID-19 severity. Ecotox. Env. Saf. 232:113245
Pasanen et al. (2022) Physical activity. Health & Place. 73:102732
Pagalan, L. […], van den Bosch, M. (2022). Autism. Env. Int. 167:107445
Nguyen et al. (2022). Heat related illness. Env Sci. Poll. Res. Int. 29(49):74197-74207
Lymeus et al. (2022). Restoration. Front. Psychol. 13: 763650
Liao et al. (2022) Cardiovascular disease. Env. Epi. 6(2):200
Klicnik et al. (2022) General health and wellbeing. Prev. Med. Rep. 30:102018
Kayyal-Tarabeia et al. (2022). Cancer. Env. Res. 212:113460
Bloesma et al. (2022). Mental wellbeing. Env. Int. 163:107197
etc. etc. etc.

8. Arek Adeoye on Unsplash

10. Bratman et al. 2015. Nature experience reduces rumination and subgenual prefrontal cortex activation.

11. https://theconversation.com/cities-increase-your-risk-of-depression-anxiety-and-psychosis-but-bring-mental-health-benefits-too-128911
Peen et al. (2010). https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19624573/

12. SMALL AMOUNTS OF GREEN AND HIGH LEVELS OF
AIR POLLUTION = 62% HIGHER RISK
LARGE AMOUNTS OF GREEN AND LOW LEVELS OF
AIR POLLUTION = 50% LOWER RISK
(N ∼ 37,000)
Yuchi, W., […], van den Bosch, M. 2022. Env. Int. 161:107120
GREEN CARE CAN REDUCE THE RISK OF ADHD

13. Green Care improve children’s early development
Mediator Total effect Average Causally
Mediated effect
Average Direct Effect Percentage of the
effect explained by
the mediator
β-coefficient (95%
CI)
β-coefficient (95% CI) β-coefficient (95% CI) Percentage (95% CI)
NO2 (ug/m3) 0.16 (0.04, 0.28) 0.16 (0.09, 0.22) 0.00 (-0.14, 0.13) 97.1 (43.0, 396.0)
PM2.5 (ug/m3) 0.16 (0.04, 0.29) 0.05 (0.02, 0.08) 0.11 (-0.01, 0.24) 29.5 (12.0, 117.0)
Noise (Lden dB(A)) 0.17 (0.04, 0.29) 0.06 (0.04, 0.08) 0.10 (-0.02, 0.23) 35.2 (17.9, 139.0)
Findings represent fixed effect estimates per one interquartile range (IQR) increase in exposure (n=27,372). Adjusted models control for sex, season
of birth, English as Second Language status, MSP subsidy code, maternal age, lone parent household flag, area-level material deprivation, and
urbanicity. Models include random effect for teacher ID. All estimated effects and 95% CIs are rounded. EDI = Early Development Instrument.
Jarvis, I., […], van den Bosch, M. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(21)00235-7/fulltext

14. Green Care boosts the immune system
IMMUNE
SYSTEM
Allergy
Asthma
IBD
Eczema
Diabetes
Obesity
Cancer

15. Industrialisation increases
prevalence of allergic diseases
Laatikainen et al. (2011).
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.
1398-9995.2010.02533.x
Ruokolainen et al. (2017).
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/c
ea.12895

16. Green the cities!
Leave the children
outdoors!
Let the children play
and get dirty!
GREEN CARE FOR GOOD HEALTH ACROSS THE LIFE COURSE

17. Promoted by:
In partnership with:

18. THANK YOU!
MATILDA VAN DEN BOSCH, BARCELONA INSTITUTE FOR GLOBAL HEALTH
MATILDA.VANDENBOSCH@ISGLOBAL.ORG