Socio-demographic differences in nature-based recreation: a cross-sectional study of adults in the United States, Spain, and Brazil

Few studies of nature-based recreation activities have compared activity patterns across different cultures. We conducted a cross-sectional study to explore socio-demographic differences in different forms of outdoor recreation (i.e. any nature-based activities, forest-based activities, gardening, nature-based adventure activities) among American (n = 606), Spanish (n = 438), and Brazilian (n = 448) adults (≥ 18 years old). We found that socio-demographic differences in nature-based recreation are distinct across countries and types of activities evaluated. For example, women were more likely to engage in gardening, and men (except in Spain) tended to engage more in nature-based adventure activities. As another example, whiter skin color was consistently linked to higher levels of nature-based recreation in the U.S.A., but not in other countries. Based on these findings, we caution against stereotyping certain socio-demographic groups and their recreation patterns without accounting for country or cultural context.