Nature Contact as a Health Behavior: Steps to Maturing the Field

Abstract

There is growing evidence of the positive health benefits of spending time in nature, yet most people in developed economies spend little time in natural environments. Significant disparities in nature contact also exist in several population groups. In this paper, we explore nature contact as a health behavior. We examine the steps that the field of physical activity took starting the in 1990s to become a mature field of study in health behavior. These steps include: 1. creating a professional society and conference; 2. surveillance / common measures; 3. development of national guidelines; 4. a Community Guide review; 5. a Surgeon General’s Report; 6. a National Nature and Health Plan; 7. development of educational Programs; 8. creation of a journal; 9. Funding agency priorities and consensus document; 10. creation of a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Nature and Health Branch; 11. clinical guidelines and reimbursement for nature prescriptions. The proposed steps can reinforce each other, creating a strong, interconnected framework that accelerates the field’s growth and impact.