It will shock and worry many people of Devonport to learn that the life expectancy of people living in Plymouth the lowest of those in the South West.  What is even more disheartening to hear is that those of us who live in Devonport are likely to live shorter lives than those living in other areas of Plymouth.

These findings were published in Plymouth’s 2009 NHS Health Profile, and reported here.  Life expectancy for men in Plymouth is 76.8, while for women it is 81.9.  These figures may be slightly up on last year, but they compare poorly to other areas in Britain.

The problems lie not in the amount of exercise being done by our children – the average is higher here than nationally – but rather in the levels of deprivation in the area.  According to the report, Plymouth performs particularly badly in 17 categories (out of 32), which include alcohol and drug-related problems, teenage pregnancies and violent crime. 

Apparently things have been done and improvements have been made, but one of the biggest problems remains the difference between the lifestyles of those living in the poorest and richest areas of the city, with Devonport being among the worst off.  This is sobering news for all of us, but what do you think can or should be done?