Spending time in natural settings boosts life satisfaction through a more positive sense of one's own body, according to a study based on a survey of more than 50,000 people in 58 countries.
Contact with nature contributes to greater self-compassion and a heightened sense of restoration, the team writes in the journal Environment International.
Both are associated with a more positive body image, including a sense of love and respect for the body, which in turn increases life satisfaction.
"We know that spending time in nature is good for our mental and physical health, but this study highlights one important way in which those benefits translate into greater life satisfaction," said lead author Viren Swami of 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 relationship between contact with nature and mental health is complex, the study's authors stress. Some more recent studies point to a link with a positive body image.
The team tested a model linking nature experiences with various factors, including restoration, self-compassion and life satisfaction.
The results showed that the direct links between experiencing nature and appreciation of a person's own body or life satisfaction are relatively weak, but that a strong indirect connection exists.
"In particular, our findings highlight how being in nature is linked to greater self-compassion and a stronger sense of restoration. Both of these are associated with more positive body image and, ultimately, improved life satisfaction," Swami said.
"What is striking is how consistent these patterns are across countries, ages and gender identities, suggesting that connecting with nature helps people build positive relationships with their bodies in ways that are deeply rooted in human psychology."
The researcher said that the study's findings should also be used by policymakers around the world.
"At a time when many countries are searching for affordable ways to improve wellbeing, our findings highlight the value of natural environments as important public health resources and reinforce the importance of using scientific evidence to shape planning, education and health policies," he said.
Swami's team analysed an international survey — the Body Image in Nature Survey — with a view to testing a new model. The data was collected by questionnaire in 65 countries between November 2020 and February 2022, during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Due to missing data in some responses, the answers of 50,363 people from 58 countries were analysed in the end. Participants were aged between 18 and 99 and just under 60% were female.
Data collection took place in countries from all regions of the world, though Africa, Central Asia, the Caribbean and Central America were underrepresented.
