'Lower life expectancy' in cities

Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) research revealed males live an average of 69.3 years in Glasgow City compared to 80.8 years in East Dorset.

The best and worst areas to be born were ranked based on life expectancy figures and employment rates.

The CSP said it was "still a fact of life that the poorer die younger".

It has called for better "ill-health prevention strategies" to remove nationwide inequalities.

Healthcare delivery

The link between wealth and life expectancy meant males born in the affluent London area of Kensington and Chelsea were expected to live until 80.8 years.

UK LIFE EXPECTANCY
Lowest (years):
1 Glasgow City: 69.3 (M) 76.4 (F)
2 Inverclyde: 70.3, 78.1
3 W Dunbartonshire: 70.7, 77.6
4 Renfrewshire: 71.8, 78.2
5 Eilean Siar: 72.2, 79.9
Highest (years):
1 East Dorset: 80.8, 83.9
2 Kensington & Chelsea: 80.8, 85.8
3 Hart: 80.1, 83.2
4 Uttlesford: 79.9, 81.9
5 South Norfolk: 79.7, 82.5

CSP chief executive Phil Gray said: "Lifespan should not be determined by wealth in 2006. Physiotherapists want to see health inequalities become a feature of the past.

"To ensure that length of life is more equitable across the UK, the CSP is calling on everyone involved in the delivery of healthcare to place more emphasis on ill-health prevention strategies and put the removal of inequality at the top of the health agenda."

East Dorset was deemed to be the best area to be born in, followed by Kensington and Chelsea, Hart, in Hants, and Uttlesford, in Essex.

However, according to researchers, the worst areas were Glasgow City, Inverclyde, West Dunbartonshire and Renfrewshire.

The life expectancy figures were for the period 2002 to 2004, while employment rates were for 2004 to 2005.

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