Nature contact and health risk Behaviours: Results from an 18 country study

Martin, Leanne; White, Mathew P.; Pahl, Sabine; May, Jon; Newton, John N.; Elliott, Lewis R.; Cirach, Marta; Grellier, James; Bratman, Gregory N.; Gascon Merlos, Mireia, 1984-; Lima, Maria L.; Nieuwenhuijsen, Mark J.; Ojala, Ann; Roiko, Anne; van den Bosch, Matilda A.; Fleming, Lora E.

doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.healthplace.2025.103479

Nature contact and health risk Behaviours: Results from an 18 country study

Citation

Martin L, White MP, Pahl S, May J, Newton JN, Elliott LR, et al. Nature contact and health risk Behaviours: Results from an 18 country study. Health Place. 2025 Jul;94:103479. DOI: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2025.103479

Abstract

Emerging evidence suggests that residential greenspace is associated with a lower prevalence of health risk behaviours, but it remains unclear whether these effects are generalizable across countries or different types of nature contact. Using representative cross-sectional samples from 18 countries/regions, we examined the associations between two types of nature contact (greenspace, nature visits), current smoking and everyday drinking. After controlling for a range of covariates, greenspace was inversely associated with current smoking and everyday drinking. Visiting natural spaces at least once a week was linked to a lower prevalence of current smoking, but unrelated to everyday drinking. Increasing residential greenspace could be a promising strategy for reducing multiple health risk behaviours, whilst visit-based interventions may be a more appropriate target for smoking cessation.