People who pick forest walks tend to have lower stress hormones even before they start, which might mean they were already less stressed—or the kind of people who like forests are just different from those who prefer city walks.
Claim Language
Language Strength
association
Uses association language (linked to, correlated with)
The claim uses 'associated with' and 'suggesting', which indicate a relationship or correlation rather than causation or certainty, placing it in the 'association' category.
Context Details
Domain
psychology
Population
human
Subject
Individuals who choose to engage in forest bathing
Action
are associated with
Target
lower cortisol levels compared to those in urban environments
Intervention Details
Gold Standard Evidence Needed
According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Effects of forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) on levels of cortisol as a stress biomarker: a systematic review and meta-analysis
The study found that people who chose to go to the forest already had lower stress hormone levels than those who went to the city—even before the forest trip started. This supports the idea that people who pick forest bathing might already be less stressed.