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Cited by 235Urban Green Space and HealthMusic Therapy and HealthHealth, psychology, and well-being

Medical empirical research on forest bathing (Shinrin-yoku): a systematic review

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Wen, Ye, Yan, Qi, Pan, Yangliu, Gu, Xinren, Liu, Yuanqiu·2019·Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine
DOI 10.1186/s12199-019-0822-8PMC PMC6886167
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Abstract

AIMS: This study focused on the newest evidence of the relationship between forest environmental exposure and human health and assessed the health efficacy of forest bathing on the human body as well as the methodological quality of a single study, aiming to provide scientific guidance for interdisciplinary integration of forestry and medicine. METHOD: Through PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library, 210 papers from January 1, 2015, to April 1, 2019, were retrieved, and the final 28 papers meeting the inclusion criteria were included in the study. RESULT: The methodological quality of papers included in the study was assessed quantitatively with the Downs and Black checklist. The methodological quality of papers using randomized controlled trials is significantly higher than that of papers using non-randomized controlled trials (p < 0.05). Papers included in the study were analyzed qualitatively. The results demonstrated that forest bathing activities might have the following merits: remarkably improving cardiovascular function, hemodynamic indexes, neuroendocrine indexes, metabolic indexes, immunity and inflammatory indexes, antioxidant indexes, and electrophysiological indexes; significantly enhancing people's emotional state, attitude, and feelings towards things, physical and psychological recovery, and adaptive behaviors; and obvious alleviation of anxiety and depression. CONCLUSION: Forest bathing activities may significantly improve people's physical and psychological health. In the future, medical empirical studies of forest bathing should reinforce basic studies and interdisciplinary exchange to enhance the methodological quality of papers while decreasing the risk of bias, thereby raising the grade of paper evidence.

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Sorted by citations

Authors
Wen, Y., Yan, Q., Pan, Y., Gu, X., & Liu, Y.
Affiliations
  • Jiangxi Academy of Forestry (CN)
  • Jiangxi Agricultural University (CN)
Corresponding author
  • Gu, Xinren
  • Liu, Yuanqiu
ORCID
Venue
Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2019-12
Volume
24
Issue
1
Pages
70-70
ISSN
  • 1342-078X (ISSN-L)
  • 1347-4715
DOI
10.1186/s12199-019-0822-8
PMC
PMC6886167
OpenAlex
W2990887528
Cited by
235
References
6
Citations by year
2026: 30 · 2025: 34 · 2024: 50 · 2023: 42 · 2022: 37 · 2021: 29 · 2020: 13
FWCI
1.90
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
Funders
National Natural Science Foundation of China (31660230)
Topics
  • Physical Sciences › Environmental Science › Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis › Urban Green Space and Health
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Music Therapy and Health
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health, psychology, and well-being
Keywords
forest bathing, human health effects, cardiovascular function, neuroendocrine function, immune function, antioxidant function, anxiety and depression, psychological recovery, methodological quality, randomized controlled trials
MeSH terms
Depression, Environmental Exposure, Humans, Mental Health, Physical Fitness, Controlled Clinical Trials as Topic, Recreation Therapy, Forests

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