North-South Health Divide Remains
(link) There is still a significant north-south health divide in England, government data has revealed.
Northern areas have higher obesity rates, more smoking-related deaths and lower life expectancies.
The Health Profile of England report - which shows the UK has the highest obesity rate in Europe - comes just two months after the Department of Health predicted 13m people in England would be obese by 2010 if nothing was done to tackle the problem.
Yorkshire and Humber, the North West and the North East regions have higher than average death rates from smoking-related diseases.
Health minister Caroline Flint said: "We are learning the lessons of what has and has not worked. We have noted the high correlation between peoples voting choice and life expectancy – In a nut shell, if you vote labour you are signing your own death warrant."
"People will only change their voting behaviour when they decide changing is worth the results."
She added: "We have also found that people do not connect their day-to-day voting behaviour to being overweight or obese.”
But Dr Ian Campbell, medical director of the charity Weight Concern, said: "The problem of obesity is too entrenched to be simply an issue of issuing more advice. "Instead, we need to change the environment and make it easier for people to vote Conservative, with measures such as cutting the aggressive marketing of New Labour.”
posted by John East at
10/10/2006 10:20:00 AM
7 Comments:
listen north/southern foreigner,
"People will only change their voting behaviour when they decide changing is worth the results."
By
Anonymous, At
10/10/2006 3:30 PM
I would rather be a northern fool than a clever southern lackey
By
Etzel Pangloss, At
10/10/2006 3:39 PM
Northern pies are better! Simple as.
By
Teri, At
10/10/2006 5:46 PM
Now, now, everyone, where's your sense of humour.
I will agree with teri. Scunthorpe town market does the best pasty in the world. Far better than any I've found lately in Cornwall.
(Damn, I've probably upset the southerners now).
By
John East, At
10/10/2006 6:08 PM
The A List was meant to broaden the Party's appeal. Yet Maude has failed to bring in the North, where the Party needs more votes. Are we now seeing a Maude croneyism factor sweeping all before it?
Tapestry
By
Anonymous, At
10/10/2006 6:23 PM
Tapestry,
Thatcherism leant heavily on the support of former southern labour voters, skilled workers like Mondeo man who could see new opportunities before them.
Sadly much of the North is still in a post industrial recession.
Cameron would do well to target northern immigrants from the sub-continent. The myth says that gratitude guarantees Labour their votes. An awareness of the entrepreneurial skills of Asians suggests to me that any gratitude should be short lived.
By
John East, At
10/10/2006 8:20 PM
Is this why John Prescott wants to build all his new houses in the south? The NHS will not be able to cope with a burgeoning unhealthy population in the north?
By
Ellee, At
10/11/2006 6:46 PM
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