A new study involving 500 adults suggests that greater contact with nature is associated with more intuitive eating habits, with positive body image and self-compassion helping explain the connection.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Spending time outdoors may influence how people approach food by encouraging greater appreciation for their bodies and a more compassionate attitude toward themselves, according to new research suggesting that exposure to natural environments is associated with healthier eating behaviors.
The study, published Oct. 15 in the journal Body Image, examined the relationship between nature contact and intuitive eating, an approach that emphasizes recognizing internal hunger and fullness signals rather than following restrictive dietary rules.
Researchers surveyed 500 adults in the United Kingdom in May 2026, measuring how frequently participants encountered natural environments, how much time they spent outdoors and their attitudes toward food and body image.
The research, led by Viren Swami, a professor of social psychology at Anglia Ruskin University, found that people reporting greater contact with nature also tended to demonstrate stronger intuitive eating behaviors.
However, the relationship was more complex than a direct connection between spending time outside and making healthier food choices.
Statistical analysis found that the direct association between nature contact and intuitive eating was not significant after accounting for other psychological factors. Instead, the relationship was primarily explained by body appreciation and self-compassion.
Body appreciation emerged as the strongest individual pathway connecting nature exposure with intuitive eating.
Participants who reported feeling more comfortable with their bodies and appreciating their physical capabilities were more likely to recognize and respond to hunger, fullness and other internal signals.
The researchers suggested that spending time in natural surroundings may encourage people to focus less on physical appearance and more on what their bodies can accomplish.
This shift could make individuals less dependent on external dietary rules and more willing to trust their bodies when deciding when and how much to eat.
The study measured body appreciation through responses to statements such as “I respect my body,” with higher scores associated with stronger intuitive eating behaviors.
These relationships remained evident after researchers accounted for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics, including age, income, education and disability status.
Self-compassion provided another explanation for the association between nature contact and eating habits.
People demonstrating greater self-compassion were more likely to report eating patterns guided by physical needs rather than emotional distress or rigid food restrictions.
Researchers suggested that individuals who respond to difficult emotions with greater understanding and less self-criticism may be better equipped to manage stress without relying on impulsive eating.
The findings also identified a more complex pathway in which nature contact was associated with greater self-compassion, which was linked to improved body appreciation and, subsequently, stronger intuitive eating behaviors.
The analysis included a third psychological factor, connectedness to nature, which refers to the extent to which individuals feel emotionally connected to the natural world.
Although several relationships emerged among these variables, body appreciation and self-compassion remained central to explaining the association with intuitive eating.
According to an Oct. 15 announcement from Anglia Ruskin University, the research is among the first to examine whether experiences in natural environments are associated with an individual’s general approach to eating.
“These findings are important because they provide the first evidence that contact with nature may shape people’s eating habits,” Swami said.
The findings build on earlier research connecting nature exposure with improved psychological well-being and more positive body image.
A separate international study published in Environment International in June 2026 examined responses from more than 50,000 people across 58 countries and found that nature contact was associated with greater self-compassion, positive body image and life satisfaction.
That research also identified body appreciation as an important psychological factor connecting experiences in natural environments with overall well-being.
The newer study extends those findings by examining whether similar relationships may influence eating behaviors.
Researchers emphasized, however, that the results should not be interpreted as proof that spending more time outside directly improves eating habits.
The investigation relied on a cross-sectional survey, meaning researchers collected information at one point in time rather than following participants over an extended period.
Consequently, the findings cannot establish whether nature contact increases body appreciation and self-compassion or whether people with more positive attitudes toward their bodies are already more inclined to spend time outdoors.
Participants also reported their own experiences, introducing the possibility of inaccurate estimates of time spent in natural environments.
The sample was not fully representative of the broader British population. Approximately two-thirds of participants held university degrees, compared with roughly one-third of adults nationally.
Respondents reported spending an average of approximately 19 hours per week in nature, although half reported 12.5 hours or less.
The difference between the average and median suggests that a smaller number of participants reporting substantial outdoor exposure influenced the overall average.
The researchers also found that the statistical relationships remained consistent across binary gender identities and after adjusting for several demographic factors.
Nevertheless, additional studies involving more diverse populations and participants from other countries are needed before the findings can be generalized more broadly.
Swami said the research does not establish a specific amount of time people should spend outdoors to improve their relationship with food.
Instead, the results suggest that ordinary opportunities to engage with natural surroundings may contribute to psychological characteristics associated with healthier eating patterns.
Activities such as walking in a park, spending time in a garden, visiting wooded areas or enjoying meals outdoors could provide accessible ways to increase contact with nature.
However, the study did not test these individual activities or determine whether brief periods outdoors produce measurable changes in eating behavior.
Researchers suggested that future public health strategies could explore whether improving access to parks and green spaces supports healthier relationships with food.
Such approaches would differ from conventional dietary interventions because they would focus partly on psychological well-being and body appreciation rather than food selection or calorie restriction.
Swami acknowledged the limitations of the findings while emphasizing their potential relevance to public health.
“We recognise there are limitations to this study, particularly as it is based on self-reported data, and further studies in other countries are needed,” he said.
The research provides preliminary evidence that the benefits associated with natural environments may extend beyond stress reduction and general well-being to include how people perceive their bodies and respond to hunger.
While further investigation is necessary to determine whether increasing nature contact can directly change eating habits, the findings identify body appreciation and self-compassion as potentially important connections between outdoor experiences and a healthier relationship with food.
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