Spending time in nature increases the quality of life.Image: www.imago-images.de
Staying in nature provides a better quality of life in a roundabout way. This is the result of a global study with over 50,000 participants.
May 16, 2026, 3:45 p.mMay 16, 2026, 3:45 p.m
Spending time in nature ensures greater satisfaction with one’s life through a positive body feeling. This is the result of a study based on a survey of more than 50,000 people in 58 countries.
“We know that spending time in nature is beneficial to our mental and physical health,” said lead author Viren Swami from Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge (England). Citing recent studies, his team writes that people who spend more time in natural environments report greater well-being, find their lives more meaningful and feel happier. However, the connection between contact with nature and mental health is complex, emphasize the study authors. Some recent studies show a link to positive body image.
Swami’s team wanted to know more. It evaluated an international survey, the “Body Image in Nature Survey,” with a view to developing a new model. The data was collected via questionnaire in 65 countries from November 2020 to February 2022, i.e. during the corona pandemic. Due to missing data in some surveys, the answers from 50,363 people from 58 nations were ultimately evaluated. The people were between 18 and 99 years old and almost 60 percent were female. Data collection took place in countries from all regions of the world, although Africa, Central Asia, the Caribbean and Central America are underrepresented.
Results are the same across countries
The group tested a model in which a nature experience is linked to various aspects, such as relaxation, self-care and life satisfaction. It turned out that the direct connections between experiencing nature and valuing one’s own body or life satisfaction are rather weak, but there is a strong indirect connection. “In particular, our results show how spending time in nature can help you increased self-compassion and a greater sense of recovery is linked,” explains Swami in the journal “Environment International”. “Both factors are associated with a more positive body image and – ultimately – improved life satisfaction.”
“What is striking is how consistent these patterns are across countries, age groups and gender identities; This suggests that connecting with nature helps people develop a positive relationship with their bodies – in a way that deeply rooted in human psychology is,” says Swami.
The researcher is convinced that the study results should also be used by politicians worldwide. “At a time when many countries are looking for cost-effective ways to improve well-being, our results highlight the value of natural environments as an important public health resource.” (sda/dpa)