Assessing the health and wellbeing benefits of non-commercial horticulture and how to reduce the barriers to participation

The potential role of non-commercial horticulture (NCH) to support local food security and benefit health and wellbeing, has gained an increase in attention in recent years, particularly as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The dietary benefits of own-growing could represent a way to increase fruit and vegetable consumption and improve the health and sustainability of diets in the UK and other high-income nations. In Chapter 1 of this thesis, I highlight gaps in the current understanding of the health, wellbeing and dietary benefits of own-growing, as well as in ways to reduce the barriers preventing engagement. This thesis therefore aims to investigate the dietary benefits of allotment gardening, as well as the barriers preventing individuals from engaging in own-growing, strategies to reduce these barriers and the health and wellbeing benefits for novice growers engaging in small-scale home food growing. In Chapter 2, I use online food diaries to quantify the month-by-month dietary intake of allotment holders in England, identifying that allotment holders consume larger quantities of fruit and vegetables, and of most vitamins and minerals than the national average, but consume less meat, and that dietary consumption varies seasonally in line with own produce availability. In chapter 3, I was able to identify the capability, opportunity and motivation barriers to NCH participation, and how these changed through a two-year home food growing intervention scheme, highlighting further support to encourage and maintain participation of novice growers. In Chapter 4, I determine the health and wellbeing benefits of engaging in small-scale home food growing, finding improvements in physical health and mental wellbeing after 18 months of participation, but no significant changes in diet or physical activity. Finally, I synthesise these findings for policymakers and researchers, highlighting the contribution to existing research and avenues for further research.