Physical and psychological health conditions of older adults classified as gardeners or nongardeners
Open accessAbstract
The objective of this study was to compare the physical and psychological health conditions and leisure-time activities, particularly physical activities (PAs), of older gardeners and nongardeners. Fifty-three older adults were recruited from the community of Manhattan, KS. Three groups were classified based on results from the Community Healthy Activities Model Program for Seniors questionnaire: active gardeners (n = 11) classified as gardeners that met the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) PA recommendation through gardening; gardeners (n = 14) classified as gardeners that did not meet the CDC's PA recommendation through gardening; and nongardeners (n = 28). Overall physical and mental health conditions were determined with the Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36), hand function (hand strength and pinch force) was determined by dynamometers, and bone mineral density (BMD) was determined by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Active gardeners were significantly different from gardeners and nongardeners in physical health ( P ≤ 0.05) on SF-36. There were no differences in mental health among the three groups, but all groups had scores higher than the U.S. general population. Active gardeners + gardeners had greater hand strength and pinch force than nongardeners. There was no difference in BMD among the groups, but all subjects had higher scores than the standard BMD value for their age. The only significant difference of caloric expenditure in leisure-time PAs among the groups was gardening ( P < 0.001). In conclusion, gardening can be a useful strategy to meet the CDC's PA recommendation. In addition to the health benefits linked to regular PA, this study showed that gardening promotes hand strength, pinch force, and overall physical health.
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Gardening is likely to encourage people to undertake physical exercise, which in turn would contribute to improving both the physical and psychological health of gardeners.
“Second, and somewhat more indirectly, gardening is likely to encourage people to undertake physical exercise, which in turn would contribute to improving both the physical and psychological health of gardeners (Park et al., 2009, van den Berg et al., 2010, Zick et al., 2013).”
From Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis (2017) · cites this paper as Park et al., 2009
The Abstract describes gardening as moderate-intensity physical activity, and the Discussion reports better physical-health and hand-function measures among active older gardeners. But the Abstract and Health assessments section report no mental-health differences among gardeners and nongardeners, so this study does not support the claimed psychological improvement. Its group comparisons also do not establish that gardening caused the physical benefits. (LLM, conf=0.88)
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Gardening is beneficial for health: A meta-analysis
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“…et al., 2015; Kam and Siu, 2010; Kotozaki, 2014; van den Berg et al., 2010; Waliczek et al., 2005; Wood et al., 2016), they were more likely to respond immediately than objective health outcomes (e.g. BMI) (Park et al., 2009; van den Berg et al., 2010; Wood et al., 2016; Zick et al., 2013).”
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Self-citation
- Authors
- Park, S.-A., Shoemaker, C. A., & Haub, M. D.
- Affiliations
- Kansas State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Shoemaker, Candice A.
- Venue
- HortScience
- Published
- 2009-02
- Volume
- 44
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 206-210
- ISSN
- 0018-5345 (ISSN-L)
- 2327-9834
- OpenAlex
- W2157559131
- Cited by
- 107
- References
- 26
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 3 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 7 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 7
- FWCI
- 3.32
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- HortScience (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- National Science Foundation
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Plant Science › Urban Agriculture and Sustainability
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Occupational Therapy › Occupational Therapy Practice and Research
- Keywords
- gardening, older adults, physical activity, physical health, mental health, grip strength, pinch strength, hand function, bone mineral density, energy expenditure, leisure-time physical activity, physical activity guidelines, community-dwelling older adults
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