Concerning new figures suggest baby girls born in Yorkshire may have shorter healthy lives compared to those born 10 years ago.
According to statistics by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), a girl born in the region between 2021 and 2023 can expect an average of 59.3 years of good health. This figure not only falls from the 60.1 years projected for girls born from 2020 to 2022 but also sits below the 61.6 years anticipated for those born between 2011 and 2013.
Across England, there has been a decrease of two years over the decade in healthy life expectancy for newborn girls, dropping from 63.9 to 61.9 years. The troubling data comes amid broader national trends where the healthy life expectancy in England and Wales has declined, while overall life expectancy has remained static – a shift the King’s Fund think tank has branded “an urgent problem”.
Barnsley has the lowest expected healthy lifespan for women in England at just 52.6 years. The highest nationally is in Wokingham, Berkshire, where woman can expect 70.8 healthy years.
Calderdale has seen the most significant improvement in healthy life expectancy across Yorkshire and the Humber, with a one-year rise. Conversely, North East Lincolnshire witnessed the sharpest decline, where healthy life expectancy fell by eight years.
The data also reveals that for boys born in Yorkshire and The Humber, the healthy life expectancy has decreased by 2.1 years in the last decade, landing at 58.8 years for those born 2021 to 2023. The healthy life expectancy in each Yorkshire local authority area is listed below.
Kirklees
An aerial view in Kirklees
(Image: Kirklees Council)
- Healthy years – girls born 2021-2023: 58.9
- Healthy years – girls born 2020-2022: 59.8
- Healthy years – girls born 2011-2013: 62.7
- Healthy years – boys born 2021-2023: 58.7
- Healthy years – boys born 2011-2013: 55
Calderdale
(Image: Halifax Courier)
- Healthy years – girls born 2021-2023: 63.2
- Healthy years – girls born 2020-2022: 60.9
- Healthy years – girls born 2011-2013: 62.3
- Healthy years – boys born 2021-2023: 61.9
- Healthy years – boys born 2011-2013: 61.3
Leeds
Aerial of Leeds
- Healthy years – girls born 2021-2023: 61.5
- Healthy years – girls born 2020-2022: 62.6
- Healthy years – girls born 2011-2013: 61.4
Bradford
Bradford Town Hall, Centenary Square
(Image: Billy Wilson/ Flickr)
- Healthy years – girls born 2021-2023: 58.1
- Healthy years – girls born 2020-2022: 59.3
- Healthy years – girls born 2011-2013: 60.6
- Healthy years – boys born 2021-2023: 57.5
- Healthy years – boys born 2011-2013: 60
Sheffield
Aerial drone shot looking over Sheffield
- Healthy years – girls born 2021-2023: 58.1
- Healthy years – girls born 2020-2022: 59.3
- Healthy years – girls born 2011-2013: 59.9
- Healthy years – boys born 2021-2023: 58.1
- Healthy years – boys born 2011-2013: 59.4
Rotherham
Rotherham
(Image: Darren Flinders/Flickr)
- Healthy years – girls born 2021-2023: 55.6
- Healthy years – girls born 2020-2022: 56.3
- Healthy years – girls born 2011-2013: 58.5
- Healthy years – boys born 2021-2023: 56
- Healthy years – boys born 2011-2013: 58.3
Doncaster
Lakeside, Doncaster
- Healthy years – girls born 2021-2023: 57.7
- Healthy years – girls born 2020-2022: 58.2
- Healthy years – girls born 2011-2013: 58.4
- Healthy years – boys born 2021-2023: 57.3
- Healthy years – boys born 2011-2013: 57.7
Barnsley
An aerial view of Barnsley
(Image: Neil Mitchell/Shutterstock)
- Healthy years – girls born 2021-2023: 52.6
- Healthy years – girls born 2020-2022: 53.1
- Healthy years – girls born 2011-2013: 55.9
- Healthy years – boys born 2021-2023: 52.9
- Healthy years – boys born 2011-2013: 55.9
York
York
(Image: Getty)
- Healthy years – girls born 2021-2023: 62.7
- Healthy years – girls born 2020-2022: 64.1
- Healthy years – girls born 2011-2013: 65.1
- Healthy years – boys born 2021-2023: 62
- Healthy years – boys born 2011-2013:63.9
North Yorkshire
Scarborough beach
(Image: LD Media UK/Shutterstock)
- Healthy years – girls born 2021-2023: 64.6
- Healthy years – girls born 2020-2022: 66.9
- Healthy years – girls born 2011-2013: 66.7
- Healthy years – boys born 2021-2023: 63.8
- Healthy years – boys born 2011-2013: 65.5
East Yorkshire
An aerial view of Goole in East Yorkshire
- Healthy years – girls born 2021-2023: 61.6
- Healthy years – girls born 2020-2022: 62.3
- Healthy years – girls born 2011-2013: 65.5
- Healthy years – boys born 2021-2023: 61.3
- Healthy years – boys born 2011-2013: 64.8
Hull
Aerial views from HU1 Essex House on Manor Street, Hull
(Image: Sarah Washbourn)
- Healthy years – girls born 2021-2023: 54.6
- Healthy years – girls born 2020-2022: 53.2
- Healthy years – girls born 2011-2013: 57
- Healthy years – boys born 2021-2023: 54.3
- Healthy years – boys born 2011-2013: 56.4
What the experts say
Dr Veenu Raleigh, a senior fellow at the King’s Fund, expressed concern over the UK’s life expectancy rankings against other European nations, stating it is “pretty much bottom of the pack”, with female life expectancy falling behind particularly due to slow health improvements compared to our continental neighbours. Dr Raleigh highlighted the stark north/south divide evident in the figures and underlined that addressing this gap is crucial not just for public health but also for the Government’s economic ambitions.
She pointed out the need to confront “deprivation, employment, environment and air pollution”. “I think it’s both a human imperative to reduce these inequalities, but also an economic imperative,” Dr Raleigh remarked.
She emphasised that to effectively tackle these issues requires enhanced governmental strategies and investments, focussing on public health and reversing the economic backslide in some regions.
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