Pollution cancels out benefits of exercise
Green neighbourhoods where people walk and cycle are not as healthy as people think, warn researchers
12th July 2019
By Staff writer
Living in a green, walkable neighbourhood is seen as highly desirable — but there are caveats to the health benefits, researchers say.
Exposure to air pollution needs to be considered when considering the cardiovascular benefits of walking and cycling compared with driving, they note.
In a study based on nearly 2.5 million people aged 40-74 in Ontario, Canada, researchers found that living in neighbourhoods with the most air pollution — where people relied on a car to get to shops or commute to work — was associated with higher odds of