Time spent in nature

Two questions were used to assess time spent in nature. The first question measured the frequency of visits to natural areas. It was adapted from the People and Nature Survey for England-Adults [59]. The question described what types of nature spaces are included and asked, “In the past 12 months, how often, on average have you spent free time outside in green and natural spaces?” Response options included: every day, more than twice a week but not every day, twice a week, once a week, once or twice a month, once every 2–3 months, less often, and never. Some minor changes in the examples were made to increase readability among Americans audiences (e.g., forests for woodlands). The second question, which measures duration rather than frequency, was taken verbatim from the Nature of Americans study [19]. The question asks, “In the typical week, when the weather allows, about how long on average do you spend outdoors in nature?” Response choices included: none, some but less than 30 min, 30 min to an hour, 1–2 h, 2–3 h, 3–4 h, 4–5 h, 5–7 h, and more than 7 h. Both of these aspects of nature exposure are informative to assess, as some research has found frequency and duration to be associated with different outcomes [60].