Effects of trees, gardens, and nature trails on heat index and child health: design and methods of the Green Schoolyards Project.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Latinx children in the United States are at high risk for nature-deficit disorder, heat-related illness, and physical inactivity. We developed the Green Schoolyards Project to investigate how green features-trees, gardens, and nature trails-in school parks impact heat index (i.e., air temperature and relative humidity) within parks, and physical activity levels and socioemotional well-being of these children. Herein, we present novel methods for a) observing children's interaction with green features and b) measuring heat index and children's behaviors in a natural setting, and a selection of baseline results.

Methods

During two September weeks (high temperature) and one November week (moderate temperature) in 2019, we examined three joint-use elementary school pa

SUBMITTER: Lanza K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7792068 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature