Health gap between

● Medical chiefs demand political action ● Alcohol and smoking is to blame

0 Deaths from cancer heart disease and alcohol abuse are all significantly higher in Scotland’s least Scots living in the poorest parts of the country are four times as likely to die early than those in wealthy neighbourhoods.

The situation has been described as “unacceptable” by health chiefs with calls for urgent action from the Scottish Government to address the issue.

The country’s unhealthy relationship with alcohol, cigarettes and junk food lie at the heart of the problem, with ministers admitting there are still “stubborn and entrenched” issues which have not been tackled.

Almost 21,000 people in Scotland died before the age of 75, formally classed as prematurely, in 2017. Although this is lower than at any time in the past 20 years, the mortality rate is four times higher than the most deprived areas.

Deaths from cancer, heart