The goal of this study is to understand how visiting green areas affects the human microbiome through microbial transfer. Additionally, the project aims to understand which environmental, health and lifestyle factors can influence these microbiome changes. Participants will visit a green area, provide microbiome samples before and after the visit, and complete questionnaires related to environmental, health, lifestyle and demographic factors.
Several hypotheses propose that the modern surge in immune disorders is related to diminished contact with nature. Specifically, the Biodiversity hypothesis emphasizes that contact with natural environments enriches the human microbiome and is necessary for promoting immune balance. This project aims to investigate whether visiting green areas can contribute to changes in human microbiome composition. Additionally, the investigators aim to explore the environmental, health and lifestyle factors that can influence these microbiome changes. Adults and/or children will be asked to visit a green space (such as an urban park) and perform specific activities (such as walking or pushing a stroller) for a defined time period. Before and after this visit, swabs of their skin and nose will be collected to analyze microbiome changes. In addition, questionnaires will be administered to the participants, with the goal to align microbiome changes with environmental, health, lifestyle and demographic factors.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
150
Participants are asked to visit a green space for a defined time period
Universiteit Antwerpen
Antwerp, Belgium
RECRUITINGMicrobiome changes
Microbiome sequencing will be performed to assess changes in microbial community composition of nasal and skin swabs, focusing on abundances and diversity of different microorganisms and their genes
Time frame: Two time points directly before and after the intervention (on 1 day)
Specific microorganisms within the skin and nasal microbiomes
Specific microorganisms within the participants' microbiomes will be assessed through culturing of swabs and/or quantification via qPCR
Time frame: Two time points directly before and after the intervention (on 1 day)
Associations between the human microbiome and environment
Human microbiome composition and diversity (as assessed in outcome "Microbiome changes") will be correlated with the green space environment characteristics, such as the environmental (microbiome) biodiversity
Time frame: Two time points directly before and after the intervention (on 1 day)
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