In February 2020 researchers from Italy published their review of the medical scientific literature to assess whether a gardening project at school had any effect on measures of obesity. A total of 33 studies, involving children aged between 6-13 years, were included in the review. Results showed that children appeared to generally benefit from undertaking gardening projects. An analysis revealed that those children participating in the projects had a significant reduction in their BMI and waist circumference. The researchers recommended that further research should be undertaken to explore this finding further.
Rochira A et al. School Gardening Activities Aimed at Obesity Prevention Improve Body Mass Index and Waist Circumference Parameters in School-Aged Children: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Child Obes. 2020 Feb 24. [Epub ahead of print]