Living in Solihull can extend your life

Jun 22 2007

THE link between poverty and poor health has been graphically exposed in a report showing Solihull men live almost four years longer than their neighbours in Birmingham.

A Department of Health report revealed Birmingham residents were more likely to die early from heart disease or cancer and suffer from diabetes than the national average.

The figures show dramatic differences between the city and Solihull, where incomes are above average.

Birmingham is a healthier place to live than Manchester, where poverty is greater.

The "health profiles" were compiled by the Department of Health as a tool for local strategic health authorities and councils to use when deciding where to allocate funds.

The average Birmingham man lives 74 years and 9 months while life expectancy for women is 80 years and one month.

In Solihull, life expectancy for men is 78 years and six months, and for women 82 years and seven months.

In Manchester, life expectancy is 72 years and six months for men, and 78 years three months for women.

The health gaps appear to mirror income inequalities. In Birmingham, 23.4 per cent of the population qualifies for means-tested benefits, while in Solihull the figure is 9.6 per cent and in Manchester, 27.5.

A spokesman for the Department of Health West Midlands said: "One of the challenges we face in the West Midlands is that the region is so diverse."

The Government was focusing on preventative health and encouraging healthier lifestyles, he said.