- The Guardian, Tuesday October 23 2007
People living in northern England are more likely than their southern neighbours to smoke and drink to excess. Their mental health is poorer and life expectancy is up to three years shorter than in the south.
The regional health divide emerged starkly in a health profile of England, published yesterday by the Department of Health. It showed the NHS has made great strides in reducing the number of people dying from cancer and heart attacks. Infant mortality is at its lowest level and fewer people are smoking. But more people consider themselves in poor health than when Labour came to power in 1997 and the inequalities between north and south are wider than ever.
The differences emerge early in life: the average five-year-old in the West Midlands has one decayed, missing or filled tooth, whereas in the north-east and north-west, the average is two. And the regional divide persists to the grave: men in the south-east and south-west live nearly three years longer than in the north-east and north-west, and women more than two years longer.
The pattern is not uniform. London has the highest rates of drug abuse and diabetes, and the north has less obesity than the Midlands. But these were exceptions to what the department called "a consistent north-south divide, with poor health in the north of England in comparison to the south in almost all areas."
The report showed England had the highest rate of obesity in Europe. There were 288.6 deaths per 100,000 people from smoking-related causes, compared with an EU average of 263.70.
Dawn Primarolo, the public health minister, said: "There is still a lot to do in tackling health inequalities ... While we have made good progress in stopping people smoking, I am determined to move further and faster, with a cross-government drive to tackle obesity, improve diet and activity levels and promote safe and sensible drinking."
