Evidence map›Paper›PMID 25809507›Full record

ArticleInternational journal of environmental research and public health2015

Physiological and psychological effects of forest therapy on middle-aged males with high-normal blood pressure.

Hiroko Ochiai, Harumi Ikei, Chorong Song, Maiko Kobayashi, Ako Takamatsu, Takashi Miura, Takahide Kagawa, Qing Li, Shigeyoshi Kumeda, Michiko Imai and 1 more

Open access · goldAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in International journal of environmental research and public health, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 101 papers, 11 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
101citing papers in PubMed, 11 pooled it
7.3field-weighted citation impact, top 2% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

101 citing papers in PubMed, 11 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 227 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Effects of Forest-Based Interventions on Mental Health: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
    Pooled it
  3. What Activities in Forests Are Beneficial for Human Health? A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
    Pooled it
  4. Pooled it
  5. How Should Forests Be Characterized in Regard to Human Health? Evidence from Existing Literature.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020
    Pooled it
  6. Pooled it
  7. Physiological Benefits of Viewing Nature: A Systematic Review of Indoor Experiments.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2019
    Pooled it
  8. Pooled it
  9. Pooled it
  10. Pooled it
  11. Pooled it
  12. Trial
  13. Trial
  14. Trial
  15. Effects of Urban Forest Therapy Program on Depression Patients.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2022
    Trial
  16. Trial
  17. Benefits of a Three-Day Bamboo Forest Therapy Session on the Physiological Responses of University Students.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020
    Trial
  18. The Effects of a Forest Therapy Programme on Mental Hospital Patients with Affective and Psychotic Disorders.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2019
    Trial
  19. Trial
  20. Effects of Walking in a Forest on Young Women.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2019
    Trial

41 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors at 7 institutions in 1 country.

Hiroko OchiaiDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, National hospital organization Tokyo Medical Center, Higashigaoka 2-5-1, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 152-8902, Japan. ochiroko@gmail.com.
Harumi IkeiCenter for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, Kashiwa-no-ha 6-2-1, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, Japan. ikei.harumi@gmail.com.
Chorong SongCenter for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, Kashiwa-no-ha 6-2-1, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, Japan. crsong1028@gmail.com.
Maiko KobayashiDepartment of Hygiene and Public Health, Nippon Medical School, Sendagi 1-1-5, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan. mk831111@nms.ac.jp.
Ako TakamatsuDepartment of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, National Center for Child Health and Development, Okura 2-10-1, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-8535, Japan. accodr@aol.com.
Takashi MiuraAgematsu Town Office Industry & Tourism Department, Agematsu 159-3, Kiso, Nagano 399-5601, Japan. syoukan@town.agematsu.nagano.jp.
Takahide KagawaForestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba City, Ibaraki Prefecture 305-8687, Japan. kagawa@ffpri.affrc.go.jp.
Qing LiDepartment of Hygiene and Public Health, Nippon Medical School, Sendagi 1-1-5, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8602, Japan. qing-li@nms.ac.jp.
Shigeyoshi KumedaNagano Prefectural Kiso Hospital, Kisomachi-fukushima 6613-4, Nagano 397-8555, Japan. kumeda@titan.ocn.ne.jp.
Michiko ImaiLe Verseau Inc., 3-19-4 Miyasaka, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-0051, Japan. leverseau@mvb.biglobe.ne.jp.
Yoshifumi MiyazakiCenter for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, Kashiwa-no-ha 6-2-1, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, Japan. ymiyazaki@faculty.chiba-u.jp.
Chiba University · JPNippon Medical School · JPForestry and Forest Products Research Institute · JPKomatsu (Japan) · JPNagano Prefectural College · JPNational Center For Child Health and Development · JPTokyo Medical Center · JP

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Time spent walking and relaxing in a forest environment ("forest bathing" or "forest therapy") has well demonstrated anti-stress effects in healthy adults, but benefits for ill or at-risk populations have not been reported. The present study assessed the physiological and psychological effects of forest therapy (relaxation and stress management activity in the forest) on middle-aged males with high-normal blood pressure. Blood pressure and several physiological and psychological indices of stress were measured the day before and approximately 2 h following forest therapy. Both pre- and post-treatment measures were conducted at the same time of day to avoid circadian influences. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BP), urinary adrenaline, and serum cortisol were all significantly lower than baseline following forest therapy (p<0.05). Subjects reported feeling significantly more "relaxed" and "natural" according to the Semantic Differential (SD) method. Profile of Mood State (POMS) negative mood subscale scores for "tension-anxiety," "confusion," and "anger-hostility," as well as the Total Mood Disturbance (TMD) score were significantly lower following forest therapy. These results highlight that forest is a promising treatment strategy to reduce blood pressure into the optimal range and possibly prevent progression to clinical hypertension in middle-aged males with high-normal blood pressure.

Indexed as

ForestsRelaxation TherapyAdultAffectAgedHumansHypertensionJapanMaleMiddle AgedRelaxationStress, Psychological

Identifiers

PMID25809507
PMCPMC4377916
OpenAlexW2000759449

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.