THIS interactive map shows the sickest areas in England and Wales.
Parts of northern England and Wales have some of the highest proportion of people in bad or very bad health, fresh data has revealed.
The map above shows the percentage of people in bad health in each region.
Collated through census data, the responses looked at those who are disabled and are limited in their day-to-day activities.
The sickest areas also include residents who provide at least 20 hours of unpaid care each week.
Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that there are 54 areas which rank in the worst 20 per cent across the two nations.
This includes Merthyr Tydfil, in south Wales, Blaenau Gwent in south-east Wales and Knowsley in the North West of England.
In Merthyr, 9.5 per cent of the population are thought to be in bad or very bad health.
This is while 13.1 per cent are either disabled or are limited in their every day activity, with a further 7.1 per cent providing 20 hours of unpaid care a week.
However, in general in England, over 50 per cent of people reported to be in very good health, with 35 per cent being in ‘good health’.
In England, over 80 per cent of people included in the census reported not having a disability, while this was over 70 per cent in Wales.
The experts said there had been ‘notable changes’ since the last census in 2011.
Figures show that in the last ten years, the number of people reporting very bad health in England has decreased by 0.7 per cent, going from 6.0 per cent to 5.3 per cent between March 2021 and March 2011.
In Wales the percentage of people who reported being in bad or very bad health also decreased, from 7.9 per cent in 2011 to 6.8 per cent in 2021.
It’s important to note that the census took place during the Covid pandemic, which the ONS states may have affected people’s responses.
London had the biggest decrease in the percentage of people who said they had bad or very bad health, the ONS states.
The report states: “In England in 2021, the North East had the highest proportions of people who reported having bad or very bad health, people who were disabled and limited a lot in their day-to-day activities, and people providing at least 20 hours of unpaid care when compared with other regions. This was also the case in 2011.”
The percentage score is not necessarily reflective of the overall level of health and social care need in an area, they stated.
“For instance, some areas rank highly on the percentage of people who are limited a lot in their day-to-day activities and people who report bad health, but do not rank comparatively highly in the percentage of people providing 20 or more hours of unpaid care,” the authors said.
When it comes to why there is such a disparity in health, the experts said this could be connected to the ‘legacy of the industrial revolution’.
Figures show that 43 out of of 331 local authority areas in England and Wales were classified by the ONS as “Services and industrial Legacy” following the 2011 Census.
This includes areas where people were more likely to have jobs in energy, water or air conditioning industries, manufacturing industries, and the mining, quarrying or construction industries.
Previous studies have shown that where you live can affect your quality of life and your overall health.
Several studies have found physical activity can reduce anxiety and depression, and improve mood and wellbeing.
People living in cities are 64 per cent more likely than rural residents to engage frequently in active travel, according to data from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS).
Just last month, experts found that those who live closer to parks and lakes are less likely to develop dementia.
Another paper, published in November 2022, found that living near street lights may also increase your risk of diabetes, however it was not specified whether this was type 1 or type 2.