Positive childhood experiences with rivers and lakes connected to adult well-being

 There is a correlation between having a happy childhood and a better quality of life as an adult, and this correlation appears to be strengthened by exposure to coastal and inland waters like

Adults who report improved mental health are more likely to have spent time as youngsters in and around coastal and inland waters like rivers and lakes (together referred to as blue spaces) in the new study based on data from 18 nations. There was a consistent finding across all of the countries.

Evidence is mounting that adult time spent in green places, such as parks and woodlands, can reduce stress and improve mental health. We also know very little about the importance of early socialisation and blue spaces in shaping adult relationships. The European Center for Environment and Human Health at the University of Exeter oversaw the collection of data from the cross-sectional BlueHealth International Survey (BIS). More than 15,000 persons from 14 European countries and 4 other non-European countries/regions were employed in this analysis (Hong Kong, Canada, Australia and California).

Participants were asked about their recent contact with green and blue spaces (within the last four weeks) and their mental health (within the last two weeks), as well as their recollections of their experiences with blue spaces between the ages of 0 and 16 (including how close they were, how often they visited, and how comfortable their parents/guardians were with them playing in these settings). This study, published in the Journal of Environmental Psychology, found that adults who visited parks and other natural areas more frequently and assigned a higher value to these spaces based on their own personal experiences as children had a greater likelihood of experiencing positive mental health outcomes.

Lead author and Ph.D. candidate at Sapienza University of Rome Valeria Vitale remarked, "In the context of an increasingly modern and industrialised society, it is crucial to understand how early experiences in nature link to well-being in adulthood." Our results imply that early exposure to and comfort in blue spaces may have positive effects on mental health in adulthood by fostering an appreciation for and desire to participate in recreational nature experiences. "Water settings can be dangerous for children, and parents are correct to be careful," Dr. Leanne Martin, co-author and Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Exeter's European Center for Environment and Human Health, said. However, this study shows that helping kids feel at ease in new environments and learning useful skills like swimming at a young age can have unforeseen long-term benefits.

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