How healthy is Highgate? New interactive data maps reveal all

The Department of Health's annual figures giving information on health and healthcare by area have been released for the first time as a series of interactive maps. 12 Public Health Observatories working across the UK collect information on key health indicators such as smoking, obesity and life expectancy; these Health Profiles can be directly compared across local authorities using the data maps at www.apho.org.uk.

Latest figures for the local boroughs of Camden and Haringey show a mixed picture. Both boroughs have above-average levels of social deprivation and child poverty, which can have negative impact on overall health; childhood obesity (measured in children at school Year 6) is significantly higher than the national average in both areas.

However, rates of breastfeeding - linked to immune health in babies - and phyiscal activity for children are both higher than the national average in both local authorities. Adult physical actvitiy is slightly higher than the national average in both boroughs, and adult healthy eating much better than the average.

Female life expectancy is a little above the average for England in both areas - women in Haringey can expect to live to 83.7 years, and in Camden 83.3 years. The national average is 82.3 years. Bad news for men, though - the male life expectancy in Haringey is 76.6 years, and in Camden 78, compared to a natioanl average figure of 78.3 years. Drug misuse in adults is well above the national average in both areas; however obesity is lower, perhaps reflecting local healthy eating and exercise habits.

Of course, looking at borough-wide data is always a problem as it's well-known that Highgate represents something of an anomoly within both Camden and Highgate. Haringey Council's ward profile for Highgate makes clear the differences between the immediate locality and the rest of the borough. Levels of income, education and therefore social deprivation are very different in Highgate compared to Haringey overall, and the majority of people in Highgate describe their health as "good" or "fairly good". The picture in Camden is similar.

The APHO data, released every summer, is used annually by local authorities to make healthcare plans, improvements and spending decisions.

Are you surprised by the data? Is Highgate healthier than it looks here? What do you do to keep healthy? Let us know below!