title: The relationship between perceived health and physical activity indoors, outdoors in built environments, and outdoors in nature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A body of evidence shows that both physical activity and exposure to nature are connected to improved general and mental health. Experimental studies have consistently found short term positive effects of physical activity in nature compared with built environments. This study explores whether these benefits are also evident in everyday life, perceived over repeated contact with nature. The topic is important from the perspectives of city planning, individual well-being, and public health.
  
  
  METHODS
  National survey data (n = 2,070) from Finland was analysed using structural regression analyses. Perceived general health, emotional well-being, and sleep quality were regressed on the weekly frequency of physical activity indoors, outdoors in built environments, and in nature. Socioeconomic factors and other plausible confounders were controlled for.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Emotional well-being showed the most consistent positive connection to physical activity in nature, whereas general health was positively associated with physical activity in both built and natural outdoor settings. Better sleep quality was weakly connected to frequent physical activity in nature, but the connection was outweighed by other factors.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results indicate that nature provides an added value to the known benefits of physical activity. Repeated exercise in nature is, in particular, connected to better emotional well-being.
authors.affiliation: University of Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Tytti P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Pasanen
authors.forename: Liisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tyrväinen
authors.forename: Kalevi M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Korpela
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D019368:Nature; D010465:Perception; D012890:Sleep; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Finland; mental health; natural environment; physical activity; sleep; well-being