The Role of Urban Food Forests in Promoting Environmental Sustainability and Public Health: A Focus on Temperature Regulation and Mental Health

As urbanization accelerates, the urban heat island effect and residents’ mental health issues are becoming increasingly severe. This study aims to explore the impact of the Urban Food Forest Program on urban environmental comfort, the mitigation of the heat island effect, and the mental health of middle-aged and elderly residents. The research methods include on-site field measurements and questionnaire surveys, which were used to analyze the environmental comfort of green spaces in urban heat island hotspots and assess participants’ mental health. The results indicate that the Urban Food Forest Program significantly reduced the surrounding environmental temperature, particularly in soil areas, with an average cooling effect of 2.4 °C. Regarding the mitigation of the heat island effect, the program effectively lowered the intensity of the heat island effect in surrounding areas, reducing it by 15%. Green spaces showed a notable positive impact on improving the urban microclimate, especially in alleviating the heat island effect. The mental health survey results revealed that male participants had significantly higher mental health scores than female participants (p = 0.017). Middle-aged and elderly individuals who participated in activities more than five times per week exhibited significantly better mental health, with their scores being 17% higher than those of the low-frequency participants. However, this study has several limitations. The relatively small sample size and limited observation period may affect the generalizability of the findings. Additionally, the study focused on a specific urban area, which may not fully represent the broader urban context. Future research should aim to expand the sample size, extend the observation period, and explore the impact of the Urban Food Forest Program in different urban settings to verify the findings’ robustness and applicability. Based on these findings, future efforts should focus on expanding green coverage, enhancing humidity regulation, and encouraging greater social and outdoor participation among middle-aged and elderly populations. Specifically, increasing activity frequency and promoting social interactions can further improve urban environmental quality and residents’ well-being.