Pro-Environmental Behaviors: Relationship With Nature Visits, Connectedness to Nature and Physical Activity

• Published in: American journal of health promotion Vol. 37; no. 1; pp. 12 - 29
• Main Authors: Teixeira, Andreia, Gabriel, Ronaldo, Martinho, José, Santos, Mário, Faria, Aurélio, Oliveira, Irene, Moreira, Helena
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.01.2023; American Journal of Health Promotion
• Subjects: Behavior; Built environment; Connectedness; Correlation analysis; Cross-Sectional Studies; Demography; Environment; Exercise; Female; Health promotion; Humans; Male; Natural environment; Neighborhoods; Parks & recreation areas; Physical activity; Public sphere; Quantitative Research; Residence Characteristics; Surveys and Questionnaires; Visits; sustainable behaviors; accelerometer; emotional connectedness to nature; health policies; visits to natural environments; environmental health; gender differences
• ISSN: 0890-1171; 2168-6602; 2168-6602
• DOI: 10.1177/08901171221119089

Purpose Examine the association of visits to the natural environment, connectedness to nature, physical activity, and the adoption of pro-environmental behaviors (PEBs) in individuals aged 18 years or older. Design Cross-sectional study. Setting City of Vila Real, located in the north of Portugal. Subjects We recruited 194 individuals (61 men and 133 women) aged 18-75 years. Mesures A self-administered questionnaire was used to measure nature visits, connectedness to nature, PEBs, and demographic characteristics. Neighborhood green space was appreciated through a Simplified Land Occupation Map and physical activity was measured using ActiGraph accelerometers (wGT3X-BT). Analysis Correlations and nonlinear canonical correlation analysis were used to analyze the data. The coefficients of canonical and multiple correlations were calculated. Results Nature visits were associated with involvement in environmental volunteering (V = .317, P ≤ .05) among men. In these, higher levels of moderate-vigorous PA were associated with green travel behavior (η2 = .325, P ≤ .05). Connectedness with nature was related (P ≤ .05) to private sphere behaviors, such as purchase of eco-products (η2 = .191) and local/seasonal products (η2 = .186) in females and encouraging care and protection of natural environment (η2 = .336, P ≤ .01) in males. Conclusions Nature visits, connection to nature, and physical activity levels were related to the adoption of PEBs in the private and public sphere, and these relationships differed between men and women.