NCT04898439

GReen And Healthy Schools

The Effect of Greening the School Environment on the Health of Children

• Status: Unknown
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 200 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Hasselt University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 9 Years – 12 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This project aims to investigate the health effects of making schools greener and more biodiverse. We will mainly focus on cognitive effects, well-being, and BMI. The research hypothesis is that greening schools positively influences the health of children through more exercise and cleaner air.

Detailed description

Spending time in nature has been associated with improved physical and mental health and well-being. Developing nature-based health-promoting interventions such as providing more nature in schools to improve children's well-being will lead to benefits for society in our rapidly urbanizing world. Although the benefits of exposure to nature have been demonstrated, knowledge of integrating exposure to nature into public health guidelines is scarce. The latter requires an interdisciplinary approach that integrates the impact of nature-based interventions both on health and on the cost-effectiveness of interventions. Little is known about the health effect of greening and, in particular, increasing biodiversity in schools and we want to investigate further with this study. This project, therefore, aims to investigate the health effects of greening primary schools and increasing biodiversity and will mainly focus on the effects on cognition, well-being, and BMI. For this, all children from 4th to 6th grade in the participating schools will be invited to participate in this study (Belgium). This study comprises control schools and intervention schools, the schools are examined before the greening and after the greening. When the informed consent form is signed by the parents, they complete a questionnaire that assesses the child's diet, physical activity, and general questions. A urine sample will be taken for the determination of black carbon particles. The child will also perform computer tests measuring different aspects of "cognition". During these tests, we will also look at the eye movements that play an important role in the cognitive ability of the child. To get an idea of a possible effect on BMI, height and weight will be measured. The child fills in a welfare questionnaire and a questionnaire about the perception of nature itself.

Conditions

• Cognitive Function 1, Social
• Cognitive Change
• Emotions
• Weight, Body
• Pollution; Exposure

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	greening of the school environment	The school will be greened and biodiversity will be increased. This will be done on the playground and area around the school. Special needs corners for playing, relaxing or gardening will be installed.

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-03-15
• Primary completion: 2022-12-01
• Completion: 2023-04-01
• First posted: 2021-05-24
• Last updated: 2022-03-16

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Belgium