New Study Links Time in Nature to Healthier Eating Habits (and It's Free)

A new study from Anglia Ruskin University is the first to connect time in nature with healthier eating habits. Researchers surveyed 500 UK adults about how much they notice nature in daily life, how often they spend time outdoors, and their relationship with body image, self-compassion and intuitive eating, the anti-dieting approach built around listening to your body’s hunger and fullness cues.

The results found a direct link between nature contact and intuitive eating, with even stronger pathways running through body appreciation and self-compassion. Researchers believe those two things help buffer impulsive eating and encourage people to follow their body’s signals instead of strict rules. Lead author Viren Swami says the findings are the first evidence that contact with nature may shape how we eat, and that greater access to nature could help promote healthier, more sustainable eating behaviors.

The researchers do point out that the data is self-reported and UK-based, so more studies in other countries are needed. Still, the takeaway is simple: more time outside might be one of the easiest, cheapest ways to support a healthier relationship with food. What’s your favorite way to get more nature into your day? Tell us in the comments.