Healthy life expectancy gap between rich and poor has widened, study finds
Summary
A new study shows that people living in the richest areas of the UK can expect to live about 20 more years in good health than those in the poorest areas. The average number of healthy years has dropped by about two years over the last decade, and the UK ranks poorly among wealthy countries in healthy life expectancy.Key Facts
- People in wealthy areas of England have around 69 healthy years, while those in poor areas have about 49-50 healthy years.
- The gap in healthy life expectancy between rich and poor areas has grown wider since 2013-2015.
- Average healthy life expectancy in the UK has fallen roughly two years from 2012-14 to 2022-24.
- The UK has the second-lowest healthy life expectancy among 21 rich countries, just above the United States.
- The decline is linked to factors such as obesity, poor housing, mental health issues, poverty, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
- Healthy life expectancy measures how many years people live in good health, considering physical and mental wellbeing.
- Poor health causes economic problems by pushing people out of work and limiting education and training opportunities.
- Experts call for better prevention, community care, and tackling the root causes of health inequality.
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