Soho is Britain's unhealthiest place to live, study…

Soho is Britain's unhealthiest place to live, study finds

Soho had the greatest access to takeaways and pubs combined with low levels of green spaces. Photograph: Colin Edwards/Alamy Stock Photo

Soho is the unhealthiest place to live in Britain, while the healthiest is a small market town in Devon, a study has concluded.

The central London area had the greatest access to takeaways, pubs and off-licences, combined with high levels of air pollution and low levels of parks and green spaces, the research found.

In contrast, Great Torrington in north Devon had low levels of pollution, good access to parks, green space and health services, along with few retail outlets.

All of the remaining top 10 healthy places were in Scotland. These included Lochwinnoch and Foxbar in Renfrewshire, Fauldhouse in West Lothian, and Marnoch in North Lanarkshire.

The University of Liverpool found that six unhealthy neighbourhoods in the top 10 were in inner London. Also in the top ranks were Shotley Gate near Ipswich and areas north of Immingham in Humberside.

Researchers analysed a range of lifestyle and environmental measures including levels of air pollution, access to amenities such as fast-food outlets or pubs, and proximity to health services including GPs, in addition to parks and recreational spaces.

Dr Mark Green, a senior lecturer in health geography who undertook the study, said: “Our research, in conjunction with the Consumer Data Research Centre (CDRC) and Public Health England, has allowed us to pull together freely available information from sources such as GP surgeries, health centres, fast-food outlets, air pollution statistics published by the Environment Agency.

“The statistics reveal important insights about the concentration of certain amenities that may be damaging or promote health. For example, on average, individuals in Great Britain are just as close to a pub or bar as they are to their nearest GP, 1.1 km [0.68 miles].

Great Torrington in Devon. — Great Torrington in Devon had low levels of pollution, and good access to parks and green space, the study found. Photograph: Paul Felix/Shutterstock

“We also found that 42% of people are within 1km (or a few minutes’ drive time) of their nearest gambling outlet. These statistics reveal troubling issues with the neighbourhoods we live in and how they may be damaging to our health.”

The findings will be presented at the International Medical Geography Symposium on Monday.

The data resource used is part of the CDRC, which aims to analyse information collected by business, local and national government organisations.

Green added: “We anticipate that this resource will be an important tool for citizens and policymakers alike interested in how their neighbourhoods may be associated to their health.”

Prof Alex Singleton, deputy director of the CDRC, said: “Our study found that access was not evenly spread across Great Britain – rural areas have poorer access to many health services, and those services which are seen as damaging to health are often concentrated in poorer areas.

“For example, 62% of people who live in the 10% most deprived areas are within 1km of a fast-food outlet compared [with] 24% in the 10% least deprived areas.”