A new scientific review suggests that living in modern cities may not be as healthy as people once thought. Researchers from Loughborough University in England and the University of Zurich in Switzerland say that rapid industrialisation has changed our way of life faster than our bodies can keep up.
The study says that crowded cities, high pollution, constant noise, and little contact with nature may put stress on important biological functions that help people survive and have children.
City Living May Affect Fertility, Immunity, and Brain Health
The researchers warn that living in cities can harm reproductive health, leading to higher infertility rates and a worldwide drop in sperm count. The immune system can also suffer, raising the risk of allergies and autoimmune diseases.
City life may also affect how the brain works. The study found that thinking skills can get worse, causing slower mental growth in children and faster mental aging in adults. Pollution, stress, and less time in nature can also lower physical strength and stamina.
These findings are concerning because more people move to cities every year. By 2050, about 68 percent of the world’s population is expected to live in urban areas. With lower fertility rates and more chronic diseases, the impact could be serious.
Humans Are Not Fully Adapted to Modern Urban Life
Danny Longman, a senior lecturer in human evolutionary physiology at Loughborough University, explains that humans evolved in natural environments for thousands of years. But moving quickly to industrialised cities has caused what he calls an “Environmental Mismatch.”
Simply put, our bodies are made for nature, not for pollution, traffic, digital screens, and constant noise.
The researchers did not do new experiments. Instead, they looked at existing studies from anthropology, ecology, physiology, and public health to see how modern environments affect the human body. Their review showed both short-term and long-term effects of city living.
Daily Stress in Cities Can Harm the Body
Noise, traffic, crowds, and nonstop digital activity trigger the body’s stress system every day. The review says this constant stress can lead to anxiety, poor sleep, trouble focusing, heart problems, and weaker immunity over time. These stresses can also harm reproductive health.
Pollution and noise can also lower physical performance. The researchers point out that even walking through a busy city street can have real effects on the body, not just cause inconvenience.
What This Means for the Future
As the world’s population grows and cities get bigger, researchers think it will be hard for people to go back to more natural environments. Instead, they say it is important to understand how modern life clashes with our biological needs.
By recognizing this mismatch, governments, city planners, and scientists can find ways to make city life healthier. This could include adding more green spaces, cutting pollution, and creating places that support both mental and physical health.
The study sends a clear message: cities may offer opportunity and convenience, but they also carry hidden health costs we can no longer ignore.
