The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 279 No 7475 p460
27 October 2007

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News summary

Life expectancy increases

Deaths from cancer, heart disease and stroke are falling and life expectancy is increasing, according to the Health Profile of England 2007, published this week by the Department of Health. But rates of diabetes, obesity and alcohol-related hospital admissions are rising and regional health inequalities still exist, it says.

First published in 2006, the Health Profile of England provides a collation of national and regional data on public health and wellbeing as well as a section on international comparisons.

Compared with the 15 countries in the EU before 2004, premature deaths from cancer and circulatory disease are reducing faster in England. However, England has the highest prevalence of obesity and the highest proportion of births to women under 20 years old in Western Europe.