A Preliminary Study on the Effect of an Intervention Based on Green Exercise on Mental Health and Physical Fitness of Adolescents

Abstract

Background: The latest data on physical inactivity and mental health among adolescents raise concerns about the quality of life and development of young people. The expert scientific community in this field has focused its efforts on researching tools that facilitate the improvement of these variables, such as self-perceived physical condition and life satisfaction, with evidence supporting the effects of green spaces on health. Objective: The aim of this study is to analyze the effects of a physical activity intervention in the natural environment on life satisfaction and self-perceived physical condition in adolescents. Methods: For this purpose, a 12-day quasi-experimental study was carried out, consisting of nature activities (such as canyoning or canoeing) twice a day in an adolescent population that attended camps in the region. Results: The results showed improvements in both variables, with increasing levels of life satisfaction and self-perceived physical condition after the intervention. Conclusions: Physical activity in natural environments is an effective strategy to improve the physical and mental health of young people, acquiring vital importance as a protective factor against numerous psychological and social disorders. Interventions that promote physical activity in the natural environment have proven successful in improving life satisfaction and self-perceived physical condition among young people, simultaneously addressing issues of inactivity, quality of life, and healthy habits in this demographic group.