Online voices

Decade of austerity has had “shocking” impact on nation's health, with life expectancy down for women in poorest areas.

Jc Bold:

No biological reason? How about obesity? And if this is down to Tory cuts, why is the same trend seen right across the Western world. Lazy science.

Dave Smith:

My personal experience as one that travels all over the country is simply that people in the poorer areas live on pizza, kebab and sausage rolls. 3 toddlers and an overweight mother is the norm in some areas.

Jan Howard:

Austerity? People can afford to live on junk food, more people than ever take drugs and drink to excess, and less people get out of the house and walk anywhere,. They're tied to the Xbox eating their pizza and burgers. Hence shorter lifespan. Not rocket science. And not a cheap way to live.

Gillian Prestwood:

Can you doom and gloomers get a life. As student nurses my cohort were reminded by a consultant, that before 1947 when the NHS came into action, you were lucky if you reached 50 years of age. Now start eating healthy food as a family, there two problems solved.

Dave Buckley:

A massive part of why people have been living longer is because during and shortly after WW2, people's diets were basic and way more healthier than they are now. There's no way that people who have grew up on processed rubbish, took drugs and binge drank every weekend are gonna live anywhere near as long. Life expectancy is gonna nose dive in the next few decades. It's becoming evident.

Trevor Parkin:

I have been saying this for years, you are totally correct.

Gillian Prestwood:

Totally agree get back to healthy food have less obesity. Bring Domestic science back into schools.

Alästäír Stêwärt:

Austerity hasn’t forced takeaways down the nation’s throats every night.

Tony Prescott:

My God people still defending austerity even when lifespans have shortened!

Denise Molloy:

The issue being raised is not about defending austerity, but that they cannot blame health problems on austerity.