Understanding the health benefits of physical activity in greenspaces

Social-ecological models of health seek to explain how the environments in which people live and work offer constraints and opportunities for individuals to engage in health-promoting behaviours. One environmental characteristic that has particular potential to influence health is the availability of greenspace. Greenspace can be a resource for health if used for physical activity, an action for which benefits are well established. A substantial body of literature also documents wider benefits of experiencing ‘green’ environments. For example, seminal research by Kaplan and Kaplan outlined the psychological benefits of experiencing nature.

Interestingly, there is evidence that physical activity undertaken within greenspaces may bring health benefits that are not apparent for activity undertaken in other settings. It also seems that these benefits may not be accrued solely through the normal physiological mechanisms with which activity is associated. For example, research recently undertaken at Norwich Medical School found that exposure to greenspace was associated with lower mortality, but this association did not appear to be solely driven by higher volumes of physical activity amongst populations living in greener environments. Such observations raise questions regarding the nature of mechanisms by which ‘green’ physical activity may preferentially benefit health, and investigating these questions will be the focus of this studentship.

The exact nature of the research will be tailored to the interests and skills of the successful candidate, but the topic would be suitable for either quantitative or mixed method approaches. The studentship is funded by the UK Centre of Excellence in Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR – www.cedar.iph.cam.ac.uk); a collaboration between the University of Cambridge and the University of East Anglia, and the student will benefit from the significant opportunities afforded by this well-funded centre. These include access to population-level secondary datasets, the provision of collaboration and training opportunities across the two sites, regular ‘work in progress’ workshops, a well-developed seminar series, and opportunities to attend both national and international conferences to present your work.

Entry Requirements:
Applicants should hold a 2:1 degree or above or a master's degree in either geography or a health related subject. In particular, candidates with experience in the fields of public health, epidemiology, physical activity, or geographical information systems are encouraged to apply.

Those applicants whose first language is not English must demonstrate evidence of appropriate English language proficiency, normally defined as a minimum IELTS score of 6.5 (Overall Band Score) with 6.0 in all elements or equivalent.

Start Date:
October 2014