Exercício verde na promoção da saúde da pessoa idosa

Abstract

Green exercise was understood in this study as bodily experiences carried out outdoors, intentionally oriented toward health promotion. The dissertation aimed to analyze the potential benefits of green exercise in promoting the health of older adults, seeking to understand its physical, psychosocial, and ecopedagogical implications. The theoretical framework was developed based on scientific literature addressing, in a broader sense, the relationships between health and aging, as well as between health and experiences in natural environments. In parallel, a systematic literature review was conducted with a specific focus on the interrelations between green exercise and the older population, enabling the identification of trends, gaps, and convergences within the field of study. In the empirical phase, data were generated through direct observation and semi-structured interviews with older adults in two different settings (CER IV and UNIFISE Clinic). The analysis of the empirical material was conducted based on Discursive Textual Analysis, as proposed by Roque Moraes (2003), allowing for the construction of emergent interpretative categories grounded in the investigated corpus. The findings demonstrate that green exercise significantly contributes to the comprehensive health promotion of older adults, fostering not only physical improvements but also emotional, social, and environmental dimensions of human experience. Challenges were also identified, particularly those related to access, safety, public space infrastructure, and sociocultural conditions that influence engagement in such practices. Furthermore, the study problematizes the ecopedagogical possibilities and limitations of these experiences, highlighting their formative potential in expanding environmental sensitivity. It is concluded that green exercise constitutes a relevant practice for public policies aimed at active aging, the enhancement of urban spaces, and the promotion of embodied experiences that integrate health and nature, offering both theoretical and practical contributions to the development of intersectoral actions.