Live well, live long, in the city

9/26/2006

It used to be a big lung full of fresh, country air was good for you. Well, don’t be so sure.


A recent national study has shown that rural Canadians are less healthy than city dwellers. The study’s key finding was that Canadians that live in rural areas, especially the most remote rural areas, have higher death rates than urban Canadians.


The report claims rural Canadians are more likely than city dwellers to die from circulatory diseases such as hypertension and heart disease; respiratory diseases such as influenza, pneumonia, and bronchitis; plus diabetes, injuries and suicide.


Researchers compared urban areas with four types of rural areas: those with the highest flow of employed people commuting to work in an urban environment, and areas with moderate, weak, and no commuting flow at all. They found the closer Canadians live to an urban centre, the lower their mortality rate. So, call your friends in Proton or West Luther. Warn them. The end may be near.


Analysis showed risk factors such as smoking and obesity are reported more frequently among rural than urban residents, and this may contribute to the higher risk of dying prematurely from circulatory disease among rural and remote residents.


The annual mortality rate in the most remote areas was 792 deaths per 100,000, while in urban centres that rate dropped to 695. Meanwhile, motor vehicle accident deaths were two to three times higher in rural areas than in cities.
The study also found that 57 per cent of those living in rural areas were overweight, compared to 47 per cent in urban centres. It found that 32 per cent of those living in rural areas were smokers, compared to only 25 per cent in cities.
Urban Canadians were also more likely to have five or more servings of fruits and vegetables a day than their rural counterparts, researchers said.


The report wasn't all bad news for rural folk, however, so cheer up out there in the swamp.
Rural residents reported having lower levels of stress, a lower incidence of cancer, and a stronger sense of community than their urban counterparts.


My own observations have led me to the conclusion that a rural dweller is less likely to be caught under a bus or subway train, less likely to be bitten by a rat, escaped lunatic, or homeless person; and less likely to be trampled to death underneath a sign offering half price off everything in stock.


A rural dweller is less likely to catch a bullet while ordering french fries, less likely to be taken hostage in a bank robbery, and less likely to be stabbed in the neck while changing a flat tire.


A rural dweller doesn’t worry about these things—or about what the next big study says.


A rural dweller is too busy enjoying life.