Writing Task - Sample 7: Place and Health (Band 8.5) Topic: Living in big cities is bad for people's health To what extent you agree or disagree? Even though cities have become epicentre of human development, there is a genuine concern that city lifestyles and the pressures of modern living are resulting in negative consequences both mentally and physically These thoughts are not unfounded; nonetheless, it is important to look at the matter from both sides Numerous research studying the effect of urban lifestyle on the mental function and health have been conducted It is argued that statistically there is a greater chance for a city dweller to suffer from some kind of mental disorder compared to people living in rural areas There are some of factors that are suggested to be the cause of this, namely over-crowding and as a consequence, a greater amount of stress caused by traffic congestion and noise pollution on urban dwellers Social disconnection and isolation are other issues for people living in city areas without a strong sense of community As a result of these factors, people it can be seen can tend to become much more easily agitated, distressed and depressed, which may trigger more underlying problems related to behaviour and mood Physical health is another issue that needs to be discussed in this context Pollution here is the main concern as well as a lack of sufficient physical exercise People living in cities spend much more time indoors as well, which deprives the body of important vitamins received from sunlight such a vitamin E Although health awareness is increasing among the city population, the environment and lifestyle is, on the whole, fairly discouraging to physical health All in all, there are both benefits and downsides to dwelling in the city Although the impact may vary from person to person, from city to city and from one suburb to another, that being said, the conditions in the city can have an overwhelming negative impact on people’s wellbeing, and this needs to be recognised