The suburbs are depressing, reveals Yale study

Living in the suburbs may cause depression, according to a study by Yale University. The study, which used data from Denmark, correlated the density of housing with the residences of 75,000 people who had been diagnosed with depressive disorders, and then adjusted for other factors, including wealth. After considering all the factors, the researchers wrote in the journal Science Advances: “The highest risk [for depression] was among sprawling suburbs.” The lowest risk was found in rural areas and also, interestingly, in high-rise buildings that were spread out. The Times points out that it said as much in 1904, when it called the suburbs “very dreary”. “The stir and bustle, the lights and excitement of London are gone; but they are not replaced by the repose of green grass and waving trees.” The Times (£)