Nationwide Research on the Rewilding of Kindergarten Yards

Summary

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).

Conditions

• Microbial Colonization
• Atopic Dermatitis
• Asthma in Children
• Allergy
• Cognitive Change
• Respiratory Infection
• Nature, Human

Interventions

OTHER

Biodiversity

In rewilding kindergartens, the yards are modified with biological elements, i.e., vegetation and plantation will be added to the yards.

OTHER

Playground equipment

Playground equipment that increase the physical activity of children will be added to the kindergarten yards.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Tampere University

  collaborator OTHER

• Natural Resources Institute Finland

  lead OTHER_GOV

Principal Investigators

• Aki Sinkkonen · Natural Resources Institute Finland

Study Design

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

1 Year

Max Age

5 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-05-15

Primary Completion

2027-08-30

Completion

2027-08-30

Countries

• Finland

Study Locations