Health Benefits of School and Community Gardens

Health Benefits of School Health Benefits of School and Community Gardensand Community Gardens

Angela OAngela O’’Callaghan, Ph.D.Callaghan, Ph.D.Assoc. ProfessorAssoc. Professor

Area Extension SpecialistArea Extension SpecialistSocial HorticultureSocial Horticulture

702702--257257--55815581

1. Identify the health impact of chronic disease in Southern Nevada

2. Describe how good nutrition and physical activity can prevent chronic disease

3. Describe how a school or community gardening project can improve nutrition and physical activity

4. How to plan, implement and evaluate a gardening project

5. Local resources for school and community gardens

Goals of this presentationGoals of this presentation

Why are you here?Why are you here?

• Desperate for another meeting?

• Dying to know more about gardening in the desert southwest?

• Need ceus?

• Hoping for a free lunch?

% of Total Deaths (Nevada)% of Total Deaths (Nevada)

• Heart disease 26.6

• Chronic lower respiratory disease 5.6

• Diabetes mellitus 1.6

• Atherosclerosis 0.7

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Chronic Disease in So. NevadaChronic Disease in So. Nevada

Chronic diseases are leading causes of diminished quality of life in Clark County

In particular:– Cardiovascular disease

– Cancer

– Diabetes

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Diabetes in Clark CountyDiabetes in Clark County

• 8.8% of adults (>20 years old)

• Highest rate in Nevada

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Increasing Diabetes in NV Increasing Diabetes in NV

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Obesity among Clark County Obesity among Clark County adultsadults

24.5%24.5%

almost one out of every 4 almost one out of every 4 adults in Clark County is adults in Clark County is obese (BMI > 30 kg/m)obese (BMI > 30 kg/m)

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Obesity in Youth (Nevada)Obesity in Youth (Nevada)in 2007

• 11% of high school students were categorized as OBESE.

• 54% of high school students did not meet recommended levels of physical activity

Changes in 2008

• Fewer exemptions from Phys. Ed. Classes

• More nutritious selections of food, snacks and beverages

• Less advertising of unhealthy snacks 1

Health effects of plants

• Ulrich, 1984

• Horticulture Therapy

• Healing Gardens

Physical activityPhysical activity

Reduces risks involved with • Diabetes

• Obesity

• Hypertension

By lowering weight and blood sugar levels (among other things)

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American Heart AssociationAmerican Heart Associationnews release news release

• “Diet and exercise can prevent or slow the development of type 2 diabetes and produce clinically significant improvements in blood sugar control and cardiovascular risk factors in people with the condition, according to the statement. This benefit can reduce or eliminate some patients’ needs for medications to control risk factors. “

• http://circ.ahajournals.org/cgi/reprint/CIRCULATIONAHA.109.192521 (full text of statement)

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HorticultureHorticulture - art and science of growing flowers, fruits, vegetables, trees & shrubs

development of minds and emotions of individuals, enrichment & health of communities and integration of `garden' in the breadth of modern civilization.

•PLANTS and products (food, medicine, O2) essential for human survival; &

•PEOPLE, whose involvement with `the garden' brings about benefits to them as individuals and to communities and cultures they comprise.

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Gardening is listed as one of five Gardening is listed as one of five ways older adults can be more ways older adults can be more

physically activephysically active

National Diabetes Education National Diabetes Education ProgramProgram

http://ndep.nih.gov/media/five-ways-older-adults-active.pdf?redirect=true

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February 1, 2002 Table of ContentsPromoting and Prescribing Exercise for

the Elderly

Lists gardening as one element of an active lifestyle.

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Good referenceGood reference

“Community Gardens Help to Tackle Obesity”– Parliament of Australia

– House of Representaties

– Standing Committee on Health and Ageing

– Inquiry into Obesity in Australia

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Direct benefitsDirect benefits

• Many commonly grown garden vegetables are high in phytochemicals.

• Research indicates these plant chemicals have beneficial effects against inflammation, oxidative stress, cancer and cardiovascular disease.

• Vegetables include:Onions, garlic, berries, soy, celery, and

carrots.

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“Incorporation of herbs into everyday meals may be beneficial, as a diet in which culinary herbs are used generously provides a variety of active phytochemicals that could promote good health…”

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Nutrients in Plant FoodsNutrients in Plant Foods

An edible garden…

Vegetables Serving Size

Calories Sodium Potassium Carbo-hydrate

Fiber Sugars

Protein Vit. A Vit. C Calcium

(mg) (mg) (g) (g) (g) (g) (%DV) (%DV) (%DV) Bell Pepper 1 medium

25 40 220 6 2 4 1 4 190 2

Broccoli 1 medium stalk

45 80 460 8 3 2 4 6 220 6

Carrot 1 carrot, 7"l, 1

1/4"d

30 60 250 7 2 5 1 110 10 2

Celery 2 medium stalks

15 115 260 4 2 2 0 10 15 4

Cucumber 1/3 medium

10 0 140 2 1 1 1 4 10 2

Green Beans 3/4 cup cut

20 0 200 5 3 2 1 4 10 4

Green Cabbage 1/12 med. head

25 20 190 5 2 3 1 0 70 4

Leaf Lettuce 1 1/2 cups

15 35 170 2 1 1 1 130 6 2

Onion 1 medium

45 5 190 11 3 9 1 0 20 4

Potato 1 medium

110 0 620 26 2 1 3 0 45 2

Radishes 7 radishes

10 55 190 3 1 2 0 0 30 2

Summer Squash 1/2 medium

20 0 260 4 2 2 1 6 30 2

Sweet Corn kernels from 1

medium ear

90 0 250 18 2 5 4 2 10 0

Sweet Potato 1 medium, 5"

long, 2" diameter

100 70 440 23 4 7 2 120 30 4

Tomato 1 medium

25 20 340 5 1 3 1 20 40 2

Community gardensCommunity gardens

• Growing foods

• Improving neighborhoods

• Provide satisfying labor

• Cultural traditions

3Hanna and Oh, 2000

What foods from where?What foods from where?

University of Texas Online Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection

1989 survey of NJ gardeners1989 survey of NJ gardenersSocioeconomic benefits of gardening

Benefit PercentLife quality

Fresh food/vegetables 44.4%Improved diet 35.2Personal satisfaction and enjoyment 26.0

Economic well-beingSaved money 33.5

Social well-beingSocializing 31.3Helping others 29.0Sharing the produce with others 14.5Feeling of self-sufficiency 13.8

Improved neighborhood 13.0Patel, 1991

Community GardeningCommunity Gardening

• Group of people comes together to create a garden

• Usually a vegetable garden with a few ornamental plants

• May have policies and procedures for – Selection of gardeners

– $$$

– Standards of behavior

– Replacing gardeners 3

Participants May IncludeParticipants May Include

• Elderly, either able bodied or infirm

• Youth

• Low income

• Middle class3

Increased vegetable intakeIncreased vegetable intake

• A survey of 776 adults in a US city found that when a household member participated in a community garden, other adults in the house were more likely to consume fresh fruits and vegetables – 3.5 times as likely to consume the recommended 5 a day.

• Alaimo et al 2008

Gardening as Physical ActivityGardening as Physical Activity

• Once people become gardeners, they spend time and energy doing it!

• Park et al (HortTechnology October-December 2008): Can older gardeners meet the physical activity recommendation through gardening?

• Average gardening time = 60 min

• Average heart rate = 98

• Oxygen uptake = 13.5 ml/kg/min3

Benefiting wellBenefiting well--beingbeing

• A sense of control over one’s environment is often predictive of good health and higher quality of life among the elderly.

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Horticulture training for elderly adults Horticulture training for elderly adults in assisted living in assisted living

(Las Vegas research)(Las Vegas research)•18 students

•Age range from 75 – 102

•16 women; 2 men

•Mean – 85 years

•All required either walker or wheelchair

•Had demonstrated little/no interest in other programs

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Experimental designExperimental design

•Four week course•After lunch •Each student received plants, pots,

seedlings/seeds•Students were interviewed concerning

their sense of mastery of their environment pre and post class (n = 18), and five months after end of class (n = 8)

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Course OutlineCourse Outline–Week 1 – staff describes class, interview students concerning personal history, mastery heath and happiness; students describe their students describe their apartments, their plant wishes, and gardening apartments, their plant wishes, and gardening historyhistory

–Week 2 – students receive plants and pots & instruction on maintenance

–Week 3 – students receive seeds or seedlings and instruction; offer assistance to othersoffer assistance to others

–Week 4 – students evaluate their plants; staff re-interviews

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Mastery of environmentMastery of environmentStudents responded to statements:

1. What happens to me in the future mostly depends on me....

2. Sometimes I feel that I am being pushed around in life.....

3. I have little control over the things that happen to me......

4. There is really no way I can solve some of the problems I have....

5. There is little I can do to change many of the important things in my life....

6. I often feel helpless in dealing with the problems of life........

7. I can do just about anything I really set my mind to do.....

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Self reportsSelf reports•Students were asked how they viewed

their overall health on a 1 (very poor ) –5 (perfect) scale

•Students were asked to report on their happiness from 1 (very unhappy) to 5 (very happy)

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ResultsResults elements of Mastery (t1elements of Mastery (t1——t2)t2)Significant improvement between preSignificant improvement between pre--course survey and post (last day) for course survey and post (last day) for Questions Questions 1 (future depends on me) p = 0.042

2 (feel pushed around) p = 0.023

5 (little to change life) p = 0.042

6 (feel helpless) p = 0.0287 (can do anything set mind to) p = 0.001

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ResultsResults elements of Mastery (t1elements of Mastery (t1——t3)t3)Significant improvement between preSignificant improvement between pre--course survey and five months after for course survey and five months after for QuestionsQuestions2 (feel pushed around)2 (feel pushed around) p=0.007p=0.007

3 (have little control)3 (have little control) p=0.038p=0.038

5 (little to change life)5 (little to change life) p=0.068p=0.068

6 (feel helpless)6 (feel helpless) p=0.026p=0.026

7 (can do anything set mind to)7 (can do anything set mind to) p=0.011p=0.011

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ResultsResults Self reported HealthSelf reported HealthSignificant improvements:Significant improvements:

•Pre (t1) to post (t2) p = 0.001

•Pre (t1) to 5 mos after (t3) p = 0.005

•Post (t2) to 5 mos after (t3) p = 0.02

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Results Results -- Self reported happiness Self reported happiness

Significant improvementSignificant improvement

•Pre (t1) - post (t2) p = 0.042

•Pre (t1) - 5 mos after (t3) p = 0.033

•Post (t2) - 5 mos after (t3) p = 0.08

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AlzheimerAlzheimer’’s and gardenss and gardens

• http://www.alzinfo.org/alzheimers-treatment-therapeutic-gardens.asp

• “Treatment gardens for people with Alzheimer’s disease…an accessible positive outdoor environment that supports individual treatment goals with measurable positive outcomes on resident behavior, mood, depression, social interaction, sleeping patterns, awareness, orientation, spatial negoriation and active engagement in activities.” (Tyson, Alzheimer’s care quarterly, 2002; 3(1): 55-60.)

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Public SafetyPublic SafetyAlthough a study of community gardens in Houston TX showed no decrease in crime with community gardens -““representatives showed that community representatives showed that community gardensgardens appeared to have a positive appeared to have a positive influence on neighborhoods, withinfluence on neighborhoods, withresidents reporting neighborhood residents reporting neighborhood revitalization, perceived immunityrevitalization, perceived immunity from from crime, and neighbors emulating crime, and neighbors emulating gardening practices theygardening practices they saw at the saw at the community gardenscommunity gardens””http://horttech.ashspublications.org/cgi/content/abstr3

““Food for ThoughtsFood for Thoughts””School GardensSchool Gardens

School gardensSchool gardens• Can be used to teach a range of

subjects, from health and nutrition, to genetics and other physical sciences, to math and social sciences.

• Can improve children’s attitudes toward vegetables and unfamiliar foods.

• Can provide a site for children to get active

• Challenge children to be stewards of their environment.

School GardensSchool GardensBefore you startBefore you start……

Creating a school gardenCreating a school gardenrequires a fair amount of requires a fair amount of

planningplanning

Planning Planning

• Make sure that a significant proportion of the school – parents, students, teachers, administration –agrees that a school garden is something they want.

••The Principal must be invested in The Principal must be invested in having a garden.having a garden.

What do you want?What do you want?• Will this be a

–Vegetable garden?

–A flower garden?

–A Native American garden?

–A desert plant garden?

Each of these can be used to teach, but each has very different requirements.

A garden building plan A garden building plan

• Who will build the garden? – Volunteers? – Teachers? – Parents? – Students?

• Raised beds and planters are often the easiest to set up and use.

• Use little or no grass in a school garden

A maintenance planA maintenance plan

Who will do the work of making sure the garden survives (watering, weeding, etc.)?

– Volunteers?

– Teachers?

– Parents?

– Students?

– How about during school breaks?

A funding plan A funding plan

• School gardens are self-funded.

• Where will the money come from for plants, fertilizers, equipment? – Grants?

– Fundraisers?

– Donations?

A curriculum plan A curriculum plan

• How will this garden be integrated into the rest of the curriculum?

• Staff at CCSD will help to review garden based curricula, but the responsibility for development falls to the school (teachers and administrators).

What is most important role of What is most important role of a school garden?a school garden?

% parents % teachersGrowing fruit and vegetables for food

74.7 54.1

Socializing with gardening friends

4.5 16.4

Feeling relaxed and safe in plant environment

10.6 4.9

Learning about plants 9.7 24.6

Other 0.5 0.0

Waliczek et al. 2000

Essentials for successEssentials for success

ItemItem % respondents% respondents

Responsible personResponsible person 6363

Garden siteGarden site 61.461.4

FundingFunding 60.660.6

Support of principalSupport of principal 4848

Gardening equipmentGardening equipment 47.747.7

DeMarco, et al. 1999

GardenGarden--based health & nutritionbased health & nutrition

• Grades 2 – 5

• Knowledge increase re: nutritional value of vegetables

• No greater stated acceptance

• Increase in eating vegetables as snacks!

Koch et al. 2006

Youth farm market projectYouth farm market project

Inner city project in Minneapolis/St. Paul

Youth (preteens and teens) who grew vegetables ate them.

“…exposure to a garden-based nutrition education programs (sic) improves youth’s preference for vegetables compared to those not exposed to a garden program. “

Contact Karyn Johnson 257-5523

• http://www.unce.unr.edu/programs/sites/foodforthoughts/

Creating a garden (school, Creating a garden (school, community, other) community, other)

Interested in creating a community garden?

• UNCE works with communities that are establishing gardens

• Provide classroom training

• Guidelines for actual building

• Ongoing support for physical plant

A CITY CAN BE TRANSFORMED

Contact Elaine Fagin 257-5573

Xochimilcoancient floating gardens

of Mexico City

COMMUNITY GARDENS

ARE NOT A NEW IDEA

WHAT IS NEEDED TO GET STARTED

1. A small committed group.

2. A shared vision.

3. PATIENCE to get through rocky times.

4. The physical space.

5. Access to physical labor.

6. A LITTLE CASH DOESN’T HURT.

Before starting, answer the Before starting, answer the followingfollowing

• Easy access to water?• How many hours of sunlight does

the area receive?

• From what direction is the light?

• What is the level of time, strength & interest?

If landscaping is in placeIf landscaping is in place……

• Know what you will encounter when you begin to dig (wires, pipes, etc.).

• Identify the potential workload –chemical, physical, botanical – that will be required to remove existing materials (e.g. lawn, concrete).

• Identify what of the existing materials will be replaced.

• Identify which of the existing materials will be retained.

What do you want to achieve?What do you want to achieve?

A garden is more than the plants; it requires irrigation, time and more. For instance…

• Are you gardening for food or view?

• How big will the mature plants get?

• Do you really want a 50 foot ash tree in the courtyard?

• Native desert plants tend to be smaller and slower-growing.

Gardening in the Mojave• Not quite like other parts of the

world

• Driest desert in North America

• Average annual rainfall 4.25”

• Salty soil; this area was once an ocean– Water left

– Salt didn’t

• Strong dry winds

• Intense sunlight

Gardens in Gardens in ““Raised BedsRaised Beds””

Container gardeningContainer gardening

• Effective for very small places

• Maximum control of planting

• More manageability

• Wide variety of possible planters

Unusual ediblesUnusual edibles

There is a surprising variety of desert plants, some more appropriate for

certain gardens than others.

Low income gardeners often cite

access to fresh foods

enjoy nature, but also

Organizational efforts for garden “spill over” into other neighborhood efforts

Income can be a factorIncome can be a factor

• Archie C. Grant senior housing development. A garden area had been abandoned for ~ 5 years. Residents and city staff decided to resurrect this garden.

Community gardens in the Community gardens in the Las Vegas areaLas Vegas area

Work daysWork days

Now a community focusNow a community focus

With produce!With produce!

Rose GardenRose Garden

• A housing development for low income seniors/disabled in North Las Vegas.

• UNCE had given a brief course on gardening at this site in 2007

• In 2009 residents and staff wanted another course with a hands-on component

• City staff arranged for a community garden to be built.

PreparationPreparation• Residents grew

their own seedlings indoors

• Originally 12 participants

• Dropped to 8 during the winter

Started smallStarted small

• At first, gardeners

were afraid that non-

gardeners would steal

their hard work.

• By January, they saw that

they needed to give some

away!

Now, that is a radish!

Las Vegas Community GardenLas Vegas Community Garden

• Began in the mid-1990s in West LV

• 32 raised beds

• Joint project of UNCE master gardeners and the Doolittle Senior Center (LV parks and rec.)

• Elderly gardeners raise enough produce to contribute hundreds of pounds of produce to hungry people each year.

Current situationCurrent situation

• More effort was going into developing gardens in low income areas

• New projects:– Floyd Lamb park

– Acacia park

Evaluating effectivenessEvaluating effectiveness

Several means

• Self reported effects (surveys)

• Physical differences (BP, weight, bmi)

• Increase in amount of vegetables eaten

(journals, etc. )

Measurements

• Information – knowledge gain

• Behavior changes

• Attitudinal changes

No guaranteesNo guarantees……

Meta-analysis of 11 studies found little consistency among results, but did note

A general increase in willingness to try eating vegetables, even as snacks.

A general lack of improvement in food preferences.

Robinson-O’Brien, et al 2009

Gardening ClassGardening Class

• Gardening in Small Places Feb. 27

• Beginning class: 8am – noon

• Advanced class: 1pm - 5

Resources – fact sheets

• http://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/ho/2001/sp0115.pdf

• http://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/ho/2004/fs0472.pdf

• http://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/ho/2002/fs0261.pdf

• http://www.unce.unr.edu/publications/files/ho/2000/sp0026.pdf

ReferencesReferences• Lautenschlager, Lauren and Chery Smith. Beliefs, knowledge,

and values held by inner-city youth about gardening, nutrition, and cooking. Agriculture and Human Values. 24(2): 245-258

• Relf, Diane . HUMAN ISSUES IN HORTICULTURE. HortTechnology April/June 1992 2(2)

• Collins, Claudia and Angela O’Callaghan. The Impact of Horticultural Responsibility on Health Indicators and Quality of Life in Assisted Living. HortTechnology. Oct-Dec 2008.

• Waliczek, T.M., J.C. Bradley, R.D. Lineberger, & J.M. Zajicek. 2000. Using a Web-based Survey to Research the Benefits of Children Gardening. HortTechnology Jan-Mar. 10(1)

• DeMarco, L.W. Diane Relf, Alan McDaniel. 1999. Integrating Gardening into the Elementary School Curriculum. HortTechnology: April-June 9(2)

References cont. References cont. •Patel, I.C. 1991. Gardening's Socioeconomic Impacts.

Journal of Extension. 29(4)•Koch, S., T.M. Waliczek, J.M. Zajicek. 2006. The effect of a

summer garden program on the nutritional knowledge, attitudes and behaviors of children. HortTechnology Oct-Dec. 2006.

•Robinson-O’Brien, R., Mary Story, Stephanie Heim. 2009. Impact of Garden-Based Youth Nutrition Intervention Programs: a review. J. Am. Dietetic Assn.

•Hanna, Autumn K. and Pikai Oh. 2000. Rethinking Urban Poverty: A Look at Community Gardens. Bulletin of Science, Technology & Society, 2000 20; 207.

•Alaimo, K., E. Packnett, R.A. Miles, D.J.Kruger 2008. Fruit and vegetable intake among Urban Community Gardeners.J Nutrit. Ed. And Behav. 40 (2): 94-101