Source: Daily Mail
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A growing body of research shows that babies born in cities, and children who grow up in them, face a battery of health problems that afflict both their physical and mental well-being.
The problems pose a serious threat because ever-increasing numbers of us are spending our lives in cities.
In 1900, only 14 per cent of the world’s population were city-dwellers. Three years ago, that figure had risen to 50 per cent.
By 2050, the United Nations predict that 70 per cent of people will be urbanites.
City-dwellers should have a better deal in life, compared with their rural counterparts. On average, they are wealthier and have better job prospects. They enjoy bountiful food, superior healthcare and cleaner sanitation.
But urban living carries a significantly increased risk of chronic health disorders, such as mental illness, immune diseases, arthritis, heart disease, cancer and fertility problems.
And as cities become ever more crowded, these problems are only going to get worse.
Read More: Why living in a city makes you fat, infertile, blind, depressed and even causes cancer
Cartoon by Bob Moran
