Active park use, nature connectedness, and multidimensional long-term mental health: dose-response relationships and mechanistic pathways in a high-density Chinese metropolis.

Higher park use duration (PUD) is linked to improved long-term mental health, with specific thresholds ranging from 3.84 to 8.05 hours per month depending on the outcome in Wuhan, China.

• Why it matters: Understanding the optimal exposure to urban parks is crucial for designing effective mental health interventions in densely populated cities, where mental health challenges are escalating.
• What they did: The study analyzed 620 working-age adults using generalized additive models to identify dose-response patterns and thresholds, and employed mediation analysis to explore the role of nature connectedness (NC), comparing active versus passive park exposure.
• The result: Results showed distinct dose-response trajectories for different mental health outcomes, with active park use outperforming passive greenness measures, and highlighted the mediating role of NC for depression and well-being, informing targeted urban green space planning.