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From the National Environmental Education Foundation
The National Environmental Education Foundation has produced a complete review of the scientific literature concerning the mental and physical health benefits of nature and going outdoors. This "Fact Sheet" is a summary of that information.
An excerpt: Our children may be the first generation at risk of having a shorter lifespan than their parents. Sedentary lifestyle and physical inactivity have contributed greatly to the numerous health problems plaguing today's children. Chronic conditions such as childhood obesity, asthma, attention-deficit disorder, and vitamin D deficiency have all increased over the past few decades. These conditions may lead to pulmonary, cardiovascular and mental health problems in adulthood. Outdoor activity in the natural environment has taken a back seat to television, video games, the computer, and a demanding schoolwork and extracurricular schedule. Many low-income and minority children are often more cut-off from nature due to the "built environment". around them: poor housing conditions, high-volume traffic, and a lack of parks and green space.
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