
Infants and toddlers who do not spend a lot of time outside may have an increased risk of anxiety symptoms, according to a study in BMC Psychiatry.
Jian-Bo Wu, of Shenzhen Longhua Maternity and Child Healthcare Hospital in China, and colleagues analyzed data from 69,571 preschoolers in the 2021 survey of the Longhua Children’s Study. The children’s parents reported on the frequency and duration of the children’s daytime outdoor activity when the children were infants (less than a year old) and toddlers (one to three years old), and the researchers measured the children’s current anxiety symptoms using the Chinese version of the Spence Preschool Anxiety Scale.
Overall, the less time the children spent outside as infants and toddlers, the greater their odds of having anxiety symptoms. Among infants, those who had less than seven sessions of outdoor activity per week had between 1.19 and 2.55 times the odds of having anxiety symptoms compared with those who had seven or more outdoor sessions per week. In addition, infants whose outdoor sessions lasted less than two hours had between 1.12 and 1.62 times the odds of having anxiety symptoms compared with infants whose outdoor sessions lasted two hours or more.
Among toddlers, those who had less than seven sessions of outdoor activity per week had between 1.42 and 3.10 times the odds of having anxiety symptoms compared with those who had seven or more outdoor sessions per week. In addition, toddlers whose outdoor sessions lasted less than two hours had between 1.22 and 2.07 times the odds of having anxiety symptoms compared with toddlers whose outdoor sessions lasted two hours or more.
The researchers noted several reasons why outdoor activity may affect anxiety symptoms, including sensory input; opportunities for exercise, social interaction, and emotional support; and exposure to natural light.
“These findings provide actionable insights for parents and caregivers, highlighting the importance of promoting outdoor activity in early childhood care and parenting practices,” Lu and colleagues wrote. “Future studies should further explore the causal relationship between outdoor activity and the prevention of anxiety.”
For related information, see the Psychiatric News article “Residential Green Space Provides Behavioral Benefits During Early Childhood.”
(Image: Getty Images/iStock/red_pepper82)
Don't miss out! To learn about newly posted articles in Psychiatric News, please sign up here.