A UK city has been named the hardest place for locals to live healthily, according to a recent report by the Department of Health & Social Care. The report highlights the profound connection between our health and the environments we inhabit, revealing that factors such as access to nutritious food, green spaces, healthcare services, and opportunities for physical activity are heavily influenced by geographic location.
Communities facing socioeconomic challenges often contend with higher rates of obesity, chronic illnesses, and mental health issues due to limited resources and infrastructure that support healthy living. The Department of Health emphasizes that improving public health requires not only individual lifestyle changes but also systemic efforts to create healthier, more equitable living conditions across the UK.
**Health Deprivation in UK Cities**
Medical experts at ZAVA conducted a study to investigate where it is hardest to live a healthy lifestyle in England. Combining data such as obesity rates, fast food density, and access to green spaces, the study reveals where healthy living is a breeze and where it is an uphill battle.
**Wolverhampton Tops the List**
Wolverhampton, a city in the West Midlands, has secured the top spot as the hardest place to live healthily, with a health deprivation score of 8.04/10. The city faces a complex web of challenges that make healthy living particularly difficult for its residents.
– **31 percent** of adults in Wolverhampton are classified as obese.
– **34 percent** report no regular physical activity, placing the city among the worst in England for inactivity.
– The city has a high density of fast food outlets, with **14 fast food outlets per 10,000 people**, creating an environment where unhealthy eating is often more accessible and convenient than nutritious alternatives.
These statistics reflect a broader struggle with lifestyle-related health issues in Wolverhampton.
**Stoke-on-Trent Comes Second**
Second on the list is Stoke-on-Trent, with a health deprivation score of 7.65/10. Despite excellent access to green spaces, with 98 percent of residents living within walking distance of parks, the city grapples with an obesity crisis.
– Stoke-on-Trent has the second-highest obesity rate in England at **35 percent**.
– The city has **10 fast food outlets per 10,000 people**.
– Nearly **one in three adults (31 percent)** remains physically inactive.
**Top 10 Hardest Places to Live Healthily in England**
1. Wolverhampton
2. Stoke-on-Trent
3. Bradford
4. Sunderland
5. Doncaster
6. Derby
7. Portsmouth
8. Canterbury
9. Wakefield
10. Salford
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Improving public health across the UK will require not only encouraging healthier individual choices but also addressing the systemic issues contributing to health deprivation in cities like Wolverhampton and Stoke-on-Trent.
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2115428/uk-city-hardest-locals-live-healthy