Horticultural Activity Type, Psychological Well-Being, and Fruit and Vegetable Intake

• Main Authors: Yu-Qiao Zhong, Hung-Ming Tu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2020-10-01
• Series: Nutrients
• Subjects: indoor plant activities; outdoor plant activities; arts/crafts activities; excursions; Chinese Happiness Inventory; Brief Symptom Rating Scale
• Online Access: https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/11/3296

The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of the frequency of participation in horticultural activity types on psychological well-being and fruit and vegetable intake. The study sought to understand the mediating effect of psychological well-being between the frequency of types of horticultural activities and the frequency of fruit and vegetable intake. Convenience sampling was used to collect 400 valid data through a self-administered questionnaire that inquired about the frequency of four horticultural activity types (indoor plant activities, outdoor plant activities, arts/crafts activities, and excursions), the measure of psychological well-being, and the frequency of fruit and vegetable intake. The results showed that a higher frequency of indoor and outdoor plant activity positively affected psychological well-being. Psychological well-being played a partial mediation role between indoor plant activity and vegetable and fruit intake and a full mediation role between outdoor plant activity and vegetable and fruit intake. The plant-related arts/crafts activities and excursions were not associated with psychological well-being or vegetable and fruit intake.