THE picturesque town of Malvern has been ranked among the healthiest areas in the UK to live, according to a new study.
Data from the Office for National Statistics, the NHS, and the Office for Health Improvement and Disparities analysed by medical cannabis clinic – Releaf – has identified the healthiest UK local authorities based on five categories.
Malvern came in 13th with an overall score of 63.06 out of 100 when environment (56.22), behaviour (50), life expectancy (67.72), mental health (74.87), and disease (53.98) were anaylsed and scored out of 100.
While 13th place may not sound too impressive, Malvern being ranked in this top 15 list can help residents sleep easier knowing their life expectancy, disease prevalence and mental health experiences are much lower than the rest of the UK.
Malvern scores compare respectively to the ‘healthiest place in the UK’ – East Cambridgeshire – and even beat top spot in environment (41.23) and disease (51.42). East Cambridgeshire’s final score was 67.76.
The only other region in the Midlands to feature in the top 15 list was Cannock Chase, which came in 15th place, with a final score of 62.82.
Rounding out the top three, after East Cambridgeshire, was Waverley in Surrey with a final score of 66.7 and West Oxfordshire with a score of 66.13.
Tim Kirby, managing director at Releaf, said: “The data underscores the importance of unconventional approaches to health that go beyond medical interventions and how health is not to be measured only through physical wellbeing.
“These top-ranking areas exemplify the union between environmental factors, individual behaviours such as smoking habits, and community support systems in fostering healthier lifestyles and prolonging life expectancy.”
