A survey of community gardens in Shenzhen : implications for healthy lifestyle behaviors and quality of life

Abstract

The fields of urban regeneration and the construction of healthy cities are experiencing rapid growth in Chinese cities. Community gardens are playing an important role in community regeneration and governance as a vehicle for community networks and green public spaces. Concurrently, the benefits of community gardens in terms of personal health, social sustainability and ecological sustainability have been empirically validated, particularly in the context of the pandemic. Community gardens, as a product of urbanization, have been established to meet residents' needs for healthy living and proximity to nature. They have been found to have complementary health and social benefits. In Shenzhen, community gardens are employed as an innovative governance tool and empowerment method, with the benefits at the individual health level being less pronounced. A more comprehensive understanding of the benefits of community gardens is a fundamental prerequisite for their advancement and integration into the urban planning framework. This study integrates personal health benefits and some social benefits through an in-depth explanation of the impact of community gardening on residents' quality of life. This paper employs a composite research methodology, with separate data collection for gardeners and non-gardeners. In accordance with established research experience, appropriate scale dimensions were selected and the extent of impact on the different dimensions was explored using participation status and participation with others as independent variables. Furthermore, the potential for impact of participation status was investigated through in-depth interviews. The study indicates that community gardening has a considerable impact on residents' sense of community and health-related quality of life, and that participation with others also has a positive effect on several of these dimensions. It is similarly conceivable that community gardening may exert a beneficial influence on several facets of healthy lifestyle behaviors, including health responsibility, stress management and interpersonal relationships. This study provides evidence that community gardens in Shenzhen offer a range of benefits.