Heart study suggests city center pollution doubles risk of calcium build-up in arteri

[Old Dawg]

Here's a little known fact about living in high density city center areas.

How many of you advocating for downtown revitalization have considered this?

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2012-0...n-calcium.html

[lobbdogg]

Everything in this world can cause an increased risk in something.

If you lived in a bubble, you'd be at higher risk of breathing in toxic fumes that was used to make the bubble.

[moahunter]

Those stats are a bit scary, but the sample size at just over a 1,000 is pretty small.

[bolo]

At least the hospital is close by.

[Medwards]

while the urban centers of some cities might see more pollution, I find it doubtful that Edmonton does. I'd be more worried about living down wind from the refineries.

Most people living in city centers walk or bike more to work, and in general, than their car-oriented suburban colleagues.

[Alex.L]

Originally Posted by Medwards

Most people living in city centers walk or bike more to work, and in general, than their car-oriented suburban colleagues.

I question this based solely on the amount of people I see on the walking paths around my suburban condo. People walking dogs, with strollers, running, power-walking, taking zumba/bootcamp classes and generally playing in the parks.

This doesn't even account for the fact that the walk from the far end of Century Park parking lot to the train is likely as long as or longer than the walk from downtown condos to the workplace for many downtown-dwellers.

Sure there are cars for the longer journeys, but there are plenty of active residents in suburbia.

[Medwards]

You should see how many people walk to work from Oliver... even as far as 124st to city center...

That hour spent in the car could be spent walking to/from home.... add that on to an active lifestyle many in the downtown area enjoy, especially with the proximity of the river valley.

I'm not saying that suburban people don't have active lifestyle either...

[EveB]

There's a difference between having an active lifestyle that depends on recreational exercise (power walking, etc.) and using walking as a primary mode of transportation to commute, buy groceries, etc.

People who live in the central parts of town often use walking / cycling / short run transit as their only form of transportation. Many don't even need to own cars. This reduces the need for cars in a way that active living combined with having to drive for daily necessities does not.

Eve

[Alex.L]

I just resent the presumption that everybody in suburbia is some sort of sedentary jerk.

**EDIT** Does the destination or motivation behind physical activity somehow make it better? If someone walks from 124th to 101st and back for work does that make them healthier than the person taking the train to and from work and also running/walking 10km/day for recreational purposes?

Physical activity shouldn't play any part in the discussion of the original topic. If anything the assumed fact that downtown residents are more physically active should be seen as further evidence that this calcium build-up is a problem. If they weren't physically active, the results would be even worse, would they not?

Not only that, but since city center pollution is being looked at as the leading contributor to this issue I find it a bit ironic that the "suburbanites use their cars more, so there's more pollution" argument is coming up. If the pollution from all of the suburban areas was as bad as urban areas, this would be a problem in suburbia too. It apparently isn't. If it was, then it would be incredibly irresponsible to include the 'city center' identifier in the title of the article at all unless all of the pollution from outlying areas somehow is drawn into the city center.

[Medwards]

Nobody said everybody... take a step back and don't over-analyze what I'm trying to say.

[Old Dawg]

I thought I would point out the study and leave it but it's getting "rationalized" by both sides now.

So, I wonder how many urbanites sit at sidewalk level in relatively dense traffic to sip their three cappicinos per day?

The study just report what it finds. Each of us will have to make use of the info as we see fit and or as our lifestyles permit.

[Sonic Death Monkey]

People...it's only a medical study, it's not gospel truth. Any quack with a research grant can publish one. That's why we are bombarded with conflicting studies, and why we are indundiated by media reports stating that cigarettes, alcohol, coffee and chocolate are good for you this week, then they are bad for you next week.

[Komrade]

Originally Posted by Ander

I just resent the presumption that everybody in suburbia is some sort of sedentary jerk.

Wait what one second here. Are you telling me this isnt true??

[moahunter]

Who would have guessed?

There’s fresh evidence that calling your long daily drive to and from work a “killer commute” may be more apt than you think.

A new study of 4,300 Americans has found that people with long car commutes tend to have larger waistlines and higher blood pressure, according to the CBC.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/...rticle2427435/

Seems wherever you live, something will still kill you. Somebody might conclude one day that we all will die

[howie]

^ LOL! Yes, Moa, death can be fatal.

It's like the old joke where, upon hearing of an old friend's unexpected death, a guy asks, "Oh, what did he die of?" And the other guy answers, "Oh, nothing serious."

BTW, if you ever see the lungs of a city dweller versus those of a rural dweller, there's quite a marked difference in contamination levels.