Caerphilly County Borough has one of the worst life expectancy levels in the country.
Figures from the Welsh Assembly Government show that Caerphilly has the fourth lowest life expectancy in Wales. Life expectancy for men is 76.1 years, while for women its 81.1.
The Welsh average is 77.2 for men and 81.6 for women. The English average is 78.3 years for men and 82.3 years for women while the UK average is 77.9 for men and 82 for women
In 1991 to 1993 a male in Wales could expect to live 0.1 years less than his UK counterpart, but by 2007-09 this figure is now 0.7 years. For females that gap has increased from 0.1 to 0.5 years.
Veronica German AM, Welsh Liberal Democrat spokeswoman for health, has spoken of her disappointed that that the difference in life expectancy between people in Wales and England has continued to widen.
She said: “The fact is that we are yet again lagging behind England. The difference between Wales and the UK has actually widened. Life expectancy is one of the most common ways of measuring the health and well being of a population, therefore the fact that Wales is still behind England is deeply troubling.”
Merthyr Tydfil has the worst life expectancy levels followed by Rhondda Cynon Taf, Blaenau Gwent and then Caerphilly.