We’re happier and healthier than most
It’s official: West Berkshire is England’s fourth healthiest place
WEST Berkshire is the fourth healthiest place in England, according to the first official national health index.
The findings emerged from England’s first composite health index, which assesses the nation’s health on a variety of factors, according to a report in the Sunday Times.
West Berkshire has been given a rating of 106.1 – the fourth highest behind Windsor and Maidenhead (106.5), Richmond upon Thames (107.7) and Wokingham (110.1) – and was rated second in the country for happiness behind Brent in North West London.
Hampshire was rated the 10th healthiest overall with a rating of 104.6.
The index analyses health under three main categories: “healthy people”, measuring health outcomes; “healthy lives”, measuring healthrelated behaviour; and “healthy places”, which takes into account factors like air pollution, traffic noise, access to public green space and proximity to sports and leisure facilities.
It factors in prevalence of cancer, heart disease and dementia, but the index also considers health factors such as affordability of housing, volume of transport, neighbourhood noise, children’s education and young people’s employment and training.
West Berkshire Council leader Lynne Doherty (Con, Speen) said: “These reports are always interesting because they look at a wide range of measures.
“We always look at our own health data and we know they’re always good.
“It’s what I always say – I genuinely believe West Berkshire is a great place to live, work and raise a family.
“We have great countryside, schools, high streets – it’s all those things that make people happy and content with where they are and it’s nice to see it come through on a poll.”
West Berkshire scored highly in the smoking (124), alcohol misuse (119), and life satisfaction (115) categories, but less well in cancer (87), depression (90) and air pollution (97).
The index was published by the Office for National Statistics and financial services company Lane Clark & Peacock (LCP).
The findings revealed a stark North-South divide, with nine of the 10 healthiest places south of Northamptonshire and all 10 of the unhealthiest places north of Nottingham.
Blackpool was rated the unhealthiest place in England, with a rating of 86.4.
We have great countryside, schools, high streets – it’s all those things that make people happy and content with where they are