City vs. Country

[TSISam]

city. both obviously have their advantages, but I feel like the city has more advantages and opportunities as a whole. exposure to both good and bad things is something that everyone needs and it gives you more life experience overall.

[Buffalo Phil]

I'm stealing Nick's thunder.

Suburbs win, but City won versus Country, but not by much.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB1000...sonaljournal_0

For many urban dwellers, the country conjures up images of clean air, fresh food and physical activities. But these days, Americans residing in major cities live longer, healthier lives overall than their country cousins—a reversal from decades past.

Many cities that were once notorious for pollution, crime, crowding and infectious diseases have generally cleaned up, calmed down and spread out in recent years, while rural problems have festered. Rural residents are now more likely than other Americans to be obese, sedentary and smoke cigarettes. They also face higher rates of related health problems including diabetes, stroke, heart attacks and high blood pressure, according to County Health Rankings (CHR), a research project that recently issued its second annual report of state-by-state comparisons of health measures in every U.S. county.


To be sure, city dwellers live with more air pollution and violent crime. They also have higher rates of sexually transmitted diseases and low-birth-weight babies and are more likely to drink excessively. But overall, urbanites tend to rate their own health more highly and are less likely to die prematurely than rural Americans, according to the county rankings report.

In many measures, residents of suburban areas are the best off. They generally rate their own health the highest and have the fewest premature deaths than either their urban or rural counterparts. Suburbanites also have the fewest low-birth-weight babies, homicides and sexually transmitted diseases.

"Suburbs rule!" says CHR deputy director Bridget Booske, a senior scientist at the University of Wisconsin's Population Health Institute, which produces the rankings with funding from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

These broad generalities don't hold true for every region. For example, average life expectancy in the rural Northern Plains states—76 years for men and 82 for women—is four years greater than in Appalachia and Mississippi, according to a 2006 study from the Harvard School of Public Health. And life expectancy for white men in Washington, D.C., was 75 in 2007, but for black men it was 69, according to a new study by the University of Washington's Institute for Health Metrics.

Much of the health advantage in cities may be a function of age, income and education levels. The average annual household income in central cities is $53,000, according to the county ranking report. By contrast, average incomes are $39,000 in most rural areas and $60,000 in suburbs. Rural residents also tend to be older and less educated than their urban counterparts.

Limited access to care might help explain the overall poorer health of rural residents. About 25% of the U.S. population lives in rural areas, but they are served by only 10% of the country's physicians. They are also less likely to have private health insurance, prescription drug coverage or be covered by Medicaid, according to the nonprofit National Rural Health Association.

"Rural America is a place where those most in need of health-care services often have the fewest options," says Alan Morgan, the association's chief executive.

Unhealthy habits can start early. Rural children aged 2 to 5 are nearly twice as likely as urban kids to consume more than 24 ounces of sweetened beverages a day, according to a report last year from the South Carolina Health Research Center.

From age 6 to 11, rural kids consume on average 80 grams of fat a day, compared to 73 grams for urban children. Patterns of TV watching and physical inactivity are roughly similar between the two groups.

The nationwide problem with obesity hits rural areas hardest. Overall, 19% of rural children aged 2 to 19 are obese, and 36% of them are overweight, according to the center's report. By comparison, 15% of urban kids the same age are obese, and 30% are overweight.

Determining what areas are "urban" or "rural" can be murky. Some government agencies divide geographic areas into just two categories: metro and nonmetro, making it harder to identify trends in suburbs. Others use from six to 12 categories. Statistics are generally gathered and compared on a county basis, but many counties contain a mix of urban, suburban and rural areas.

A variety of conditions come together to make country living less healthy. For example, deaths from traffic accidents are more common in rural areas, not just because speed limits are higher, but also because the average emergency medical response to an accident is 18 minutes compared with 10 minutes in urban areas.

Of course, country living has some advantages. Children who grow up on farms tend to have less asthma and fewer allergies and autoimmune disorders than city kids. One theory for this holds that exposure to a variety of microorganisms helps build well-functioning immune systems, the so-called hygiene hypothesis.

It's long been observed that city dwellers have a higher rate of mental health problems than rural residents—39% more mood disorders and 21% more anxiety disorders, according to an analysis from 20 developed countries last year. The reasons aren't clear, but a study in the journal Nature this month, in which German researchers monitored the brain waves of urban and rural residents, suggests that people who grow up in cities may process stress differently.

People who move from a city environment to the country or vice versa generally bring their health habits with them. Leigh Young grew up on a tiny farm in rural Michigan, eating only what her family grew or slaughtered. Ms. Young, 55, now lives in urban Grand Rapids, where she says she isn't tempted by soda, chocolate or processed food. Her upbringing "made me far more aware of what I put into my body," she says.

Many places have their own health quirks. Matthew Joyce, 45, and his family moved from San Francisco to Boulder, Colo., 10 years ago. "It's so health conscious that if you don't participate you feel like the odd one out," he says. Farmers markets and health-food stores have squeezed out the doughnut shops, he says.

He and his family have become healthier, Mr. Joyce says. "We eat organic, exercise, meditate. But that doesn't mean you don't want a doughnut every now and again."

[lilnapsak]

the people i know/have met in farm towns are just happier people and can have fun doing just about anything. you cant beat clean well water and fresh farm foods with no added chemicals and preservatives compared to everything you eat in a city has come in on a truck. people from the country are just seem happier/healthier compared to 95% of the people you see/meet in the city

happiness > welth for me

[Buffalo Phil]

Well, clearly you're wrong.

[cherokee-at-16]

'Bad' food is generally Cheaper. How much is McDonalds? Dollar Menu? Can't fucking beat it. Spend $4 and eat like a champ..but it's the worst shit you can put into your body.

I still think the Body Mass Index scale is a fucking scam, though, 10 pounds overweight and you're obese. Doesn't make sense.

All so true, even subway is kind of expensive for a healthy fast food alternative.

[Buffalo Phil]

All so true, even subway is kind of expensive for a healthy fast food alternative.

Not really. You can't swing $6 for a foot long sub? Want to eat more, honestly, load it the fuck up with vegetables. I know to some of you Vegetables are grown on Mars and anything green must be for rabbits, but you don't pay extra for how much a sandwich weighs as Subway - LOAD THAT SUCKER UP. Didn't put enough tomato and olives on for you, tell them to fucking add more. I do.

[Nick]

thanks for pickin up the slack Phil

[cherokee-at-16]

Not really. You can't swing $6 for a foot long sub? Want to eat more, honestly, load it the fuck up with vegetables. I know to some of you Vegetables are grown on Mars and anything green must be for rabbits, but you don't pay extra for how much a sandwich weighs as Subway - LOAD THAT SUCKER UP. Didn't put enough tomato and olives on for you, tell them to fucking add more. I do.

That's why I said kind of, Its still a 33% increase in price for the healthy alternative. Which all adds up in the end.

[skippy]

Okay, that I will agree with you there because this is especially prevalent in the inner city and amongst low income areas. 'Bad' food is generally Cheaper. How much is McDonalds? Dollar Menu? Can't fucking beat it. Spend $4 and eat like a champ..but it's the worst shit you can put into your body. When I lived in Pittsburgh, Top Ramen noodles, 7 packets for a DOLLAR. $1.

Then look at the other side of the spectrum: Whole Foods and Trader Joe's costs an absurd amount of money and it is generally food that is Good for you. Pack of Strawberries, $4. I at a box of strawberries the other day and went home and ate a Cornish Game Hen on Rice (I'm bad, don't judge me).

The middle of the chart is generic Stop and Shop, Price Rite, etc, where their food quality is good but people just don't know how to balance anything out. I say this like I'm a fucking nutritionist, but I'm not and I'm still fat but I at least try my hardest to stay away from shit that will kill me faster.

I still think the Body Mass Index scale is a fucking scam, though, 10 pounds overweight and you're obese. Doesn't make sense.

totally agree with you about the grocery stores. TJs isn't too bad with prices but whole foods is insane. people will still go there and think 'oh this stuff is healthy i can eat all of it i want!' food is still food, too much of anything is gonna make ya tubby..organic or not. that's almost the same mindset as 'i worked out today so i can eat whatever i want now.'
the food industry is no help whatsoever either, so much food is advertised as healthy on the labels..people have been sucked into thinking that anything labeled fat-free or sugar-free is good. and since everyone brought up subway, there's another load of bull that everyone has been led to believe is healthy! haha.

[Buffalo Phil]

that's almost the same mindset as 'i worked out today so i can eat whatever i want now.'

I've done that a few times. Came home from a bike ride, took a fucking nap and then woke up and ate ice cream.

I'm horrible.

thanks for pickin up the slack Phil

haha You're welcome, I didn't see you online and just did it anyway.

[Ruepart Hoaxley]

Suburbs make sense. Less dense population than a city, greater education/quality of living than sticks-rural. Nice happy medium.


I say this as I eat a Big Mac and drink a beer.

[Zullock Holmes]

All so true, even subway is kind of expensive for a healthy fast food alternative.

subway is not healthy. period. look at the sodium content of everything, even their low fat subs.

I've been a huge health kick, fruits, vegetables, salads, berries, nuts, fish, etc. Trying to go organic and all natural whereever i can for foods. Not only do i feel healthier, but i am healthier overall as proved by my last physical.

I think that its a matter of personal choices and not where you live. You choose to put food into your body, you choose an exercise routine. Personal responsibilty..... something i feel has all but vanished in modern america.

Also i have noticed in respect to trader joes... the quality of everything from meats to produce is soooooo much better than at a regular store like stop and shop per say. Yes its more expensive, but i feel you get what you pay for.


Yesss, i still drink beer and eat curley fries on thursday night (phil)..... i still think that the majority of a diet being healthy and natural is always better.

[skippy]

subway is not healthy. period. look at the sodium content of everything, even their low fat subs.

yeah all of their meats and cheeses are soo processed and most of the veggies aren't fresh, they come out of jars. even the cut up apples they sell are loaded with preservatives and the whole wheat bread isn't really whole wheat. the nutritonal stats on a lot of their subs are even worse than mcdonalds.
...can you tell i hate subway?

[tjramplebump]

yeah all of their meats and cheeses are soo processed and most of the veggies aren't fresh, they come out of jars. even the cut up apples they sell are loaded with preservatives and the whole wheat bread isn't really whole wheat. the nutritonal stats on a lot of their subs are even worse than mcdonalds.
...can you tell i hate subway?

as do i. i was enslaved there for a year.

[Riot]

city makes me think of places like New Haven and Hartford, ykno... cities.. Country makes me think of wide open spaces, not much neighbors and a ton of land..

Where do suburbs fall into this poll?