This study aims to assess forest healing programs to middle-aged people in Korea with metabolic syndrome as a method to control the syndrome through prevention and health improvement rather than treatment. In order to develop healing programs in the urban forests for metabolic syndrome patients, environment condition of the forests and moods of participants were compared. Thermal environments and the concentration of phytoncides were analyzed by the site. Saneum Healing Forest had a lower temperature but a higher humidity than Seoul Forest. Seoul Forest had higher PMV and PPD levels than Saneum Healing Forest, providing patients with freshness. This seems to be due to the seasonal factor of autumn. As for the total emissions of phytoncide, mountain forest generated more than urban forest. Nine components out of investigated twenty turned out to be generated more in the urban forests. The atmospheric composition of phytoncides, volatile organic compounds that are released from vegetation, was analyzed at both sites. Profile of Mood States (POMS) was measured before and after the healing program. The POMS suggested that forest environments reduce stress and increase comfort, calm, and feelings of refreshment. The tendency towards positive mood state in the forest recommend that middle-aged Metabolic syndrome patients participate in healing programs in the forests.

• Sook Mee Lee(Department of Biological and Environmental Science, Dongguk University)
• Eun Young Kim(Korea Forest Healing Cooperative)
• Keum Ok Wang(Korea Forest Healing Cooperative)
• Mi Ho Park(Korea Forest Healing Cooperative)
• Kyung Ju Lee(Integrative Medical Center, Korea University College of Medicine) Corresponding author