HEALTH PROMOTION THE GREEN GYM

The Green Gym project has been running for two years and is still attracting new participants, around 45 people regularly take part in the scheme. The findings of a research project evaluating this unique health promoting initiative have just been published by the Oxford Centre for Health Care Research & Development (OCHRAD) at Oxford Brookes University (1). They indicate that regular participa- tion in the Green Gym leads to measurable psychological and physical benefits.

A holistic approach For many people the prospect of joining a gym or an exercise class is intimidating and they lack the motivation to exercise alone. Many others, despite being aware of the potential health benefits, view exercise as pointless and boring. The Green Gym offers an alternative to people who are seeking a more holistic approach to exer- cise.

High adherence rates The appeal of the Green Gym is reflected in the low drop-out rates; over 70% of the original participants still regularly take part in sessions. Although the variety of the work and sites is probably an impor- tant factor in keeping people’s interest, the social aspect of working with a group towards the common goal of improving the environment is a key motivator.

Perhaps

the greatest appeal for many Green Gym enthusiasts is that it ‘doesn’t feel like exer- cise’.

Furthermore, just being out in the

countryside or park conveys psychological benefits which may be just as important as, but independent of, the physiological ben- efits of increased physical activity.

This

phenomenon has now been given a name: the ‘biophilia effect’.

Biophilia The healing effects of the natural environ- ment have been the subject of previous research which supports the biophilia hypothesis (2): the idea that humans pos- sess a biologically based attraction to nature. If our quality of life in the largest sense is dependent upon the richness of our connections with nature, then the Green Gym, which exposes people to this

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DEFINITION The Green Gym project is a joint venture between Sonning Common Health Centre in South Oxfordshire and the British Trust for Conservation Volunteers (BTCV). It is designed to encourage the local community to improve their health and environment through participation in practical conservation activities such as hedgelaying, dry-stone wall building, tree felling and footpath restoration.

natural environment, may well have the potential to improve well-being.

The research The research evaluated the sustainability of the Sonning Common Green Gym Pilot Project. The study also measured partici- pants’ fitness levels and perceived health status at baseline and after a six month period of conservation work. Furthermore, the research sought to quantify the physi- ological demands of the Green Gym and identify the musculoskeletal impact of the various conservation tasks.

Participants were recruited from the Sonning Common community through leaflets and posters at the health centre. Although patients were not ‘referred’ to the Green Gym by their GPs, the endorsement of the scheme by the health centre was instrumental in getting the project off the ground.

The research focused on 23 vol-

unteers who had their aerobic fitness, grip strength, flexibility and other anthropo- morphic measurements taken. Participants also completed the SF36 Questionnaire – an outcome measure of perceived health status and quality of life.

Results Aerobic capacity and handgrip strength Although there were no significant changes in participants’ aerobic capacity, people did report feeling fitter.

It would appear that taking part in the Green Gym had a significant effect on grip strength (p<0.5) when measured with handgrip dynamometry. A recent longitu- dinal study (3) found that handgrip strength was a predictor of functional lim- itations and disability in old age. As many of the participants are of retirement age, this may have important implications for their coping ability in their daily lives.

Heart rate data In an attempt to grade the intensity of the various tasks, a sample of participants’ heart rates were recorded while they were performing the conservation activities. Although this data needs to be interpreted with some caution, particularly in exercises which only involve the upper-body, the heart rate recordings show that levels of between 60% and 80% of estimated maxi- mum heart rates are attained and sustained