Biodiversity is essential for nature and human well-being. Land use has reduced biodiversity in cities that is associated with altered commensal microbiota and a rising burden of immunological disorders among urban children. The investigators will estimate how rewilding of kindergarten yards affects commensal microbiome, prevalence of allergies, asthma, atopic dermatitis and infections, cortisol levels, cognitive skills and plasma cytokine levels of children. Our specific aims are: To assess if rewilding diversifies health-associated skin, saliva and gut microbiota and reduces infectious diseases and atopic or allergic symptoms. Assess whether the rewilding has positive effects on cognitive skills. Assess whether the rewilding changes cortisol and plasma cytokine levels. The investigators will recruit altogether 320 (160 per treatment) study subjects aged between 1-5 to questionnaire study (Task 2), from which 120 study subjects will be analyzed more detailed using microbiological and blood samples (Task 1).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
320
In rewilding kindergartens, the yards are modified with biological elements, i.e., vegetation and plantation will be added to the yards.
Playground equipment that increase the physical activity of children will be added to the kindergarten yards.
Natural Resources Institute Finland
Helsinki, Uusimaa, Finland
RECRUITINGTampere University
Tampere, Finland
RECRUITINGSkin Gammaproteobacteria
Difference on skin gammaproteobacterial diversity between rewilding and control group
Time frame: Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year
Cortisol levels
Cortisol levels measured from hair samples
Time frame: Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year
Difference in diversity of skin, saliva and stool microbiota
It will be analyzed if microbial communities are different between treatments
Time frame: Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year
Microbial observed species richness
Higher score in observed species richness of commensal microbiota among biodiversity treatment
Time frame: Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year
Difference in taxonomies of skin, saliva and stool microbiota
It will be analyzed if microbial communities are different between treatments
Time frame: Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year
White blood cell distribution
It will be analyzed if the distribution is different between treatments
Time frame: Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year
White blood cell transcriptomics
White blood cell transcriptome is analyzed with single cell RNA sequencing.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year
Plasma cytokines
Cytokines will be analyzed analyzed with Meso Scale.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year
Skin cytokines
Cytokines will be analyzed using skin tape strip samples.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year
Infectious diseases
Infections will be recorded with questionnaires.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year
Asthma symptoms
Asthma symptoms will be recorded with questionnaires.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year
Atopic dermatitis
Atopic dermatitis will be recorded with questionnaires.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year
Allergy
Allergies will be recorded with questionnaires.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year
Patient-oriented Eczema Measure
Lower score on patient-oriented Eczema Measure among intervention treatment compared to control that indicates lower eczema among intervention treatment. Minimum 0, maximum 28.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year
Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence
Higher score on Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence among intervention treatment compared to control that indicates better cognitive skills among intervention treatment. Minimum 40, maximum 170.
Time frame: Baseline, 3 month, 1 year, 2 year, 3 year
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