Release Date: 24/06/2008
The Richmond upon Thames Health Profile 2008, just published, paints a positive picture of the health of local children.
The proportion of children who are physically active in the borough is higher than England as a whole and as a result, the number of obese children is much lower than the national average.
Overall, the profile describes the borough as having “a positive health profile compared to England as a whole.”
The report points out that the number of physically active adults is also one of the highest in England.
Life expectancy exceeds the national average, with men in the borough living about 2.1 years longer than the England average, which is 77.3, and women living about 1.5 years longer than the average (83.1).
The profile is funded by the Department of Health and produced annually by the Association of Public Health Observatories.
The Leader of Richmond Council, Cllr Serge Lourie, said:
“I am delighted that we score highly in terms of the numbers of both children and adults who are physically active and healthy.
“We do everything we can to promote the health of borough children by running sports and fitness activities in partnership with schools and sports clubs.
“The Council’s Competitive Edge programme, which aims to boost participation in competitive sports, continues to thrive and give young people the opportunity to develop their sporting talents and stay healthy.
“We will continue to work to maintain this healthy trend for all our residents,” she added.
The 2008 Health Profile can be accessed online at www.healthprofiles.info.