The Association Between Home or Community Garden Access and Adolescent Health

Fam Community Health. 2022 Oct-Dec;45(4):267-271. doi: 10.1097/FCH.0000000000000339. Epub 2022 Jun 24.

Abstract

Little is known about the influence of home or community garden (HCG) access on adolescent health. The objective of this study was to determine the association between adolescent self-rated health, nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and intake with HCG access. Urban high school students (n = 401) completed a questionnaire prior to a nutrition education intervention. Point biserial correlations and one-way analyses of variance evaluated garden access and health variables. Garden access differed by race ( P < .001), and students with HCG access consumed more vegetables than students who did not ( P = .003) and rated themselves as healthier ( P = .034). Findings suggest that garden access is associated with higher adolescent vegetable consumption and higher self-rated health. Future research should investigate adolescent levels of engagement in HCGs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adolescent Health
  • Fruit*
  • Gardening / education
  • Gardens*
  • Humans
  • Vegetables