Despite becoming more affluent, Glasgow's health problems remain

The Glasgow Centre for Population Health's Let Glasgow Flourish report found the city had become more affluent in the past 20 years.

But despite a reduction in smoking and unemployment, Glasgow's death rate continued to outstrip the birth rate.

Highlighting obesity and alcohol abuse, GCPH director Carol Tannahill said the "legacy of poor health" remained.

The report, produced by a team led by Professor Phil Hanlon of Glasgow University, found the average life expectancy for men was 69 and 76 for women.

The city's death rate exceeds the birth rate, which could seriously affect population numbers in the future, the report stated.

Health inequalities are stark and are increasing on a whole range of dimensions Carol Tannahill GCPH director

Dr Tannahill said: "Although Glasgow as a city has changed physically, socially and economically over recent decades, its legacy of poor health remains.

"Health inequalities are stark and are increasing on a whole range of dimensions.

"Growing health problems such as obesity and alcohol-related harm are not so clearly linked to poverty but are problems that affect the population as a whole."

Prof Hanlon said: "It is evident that we will need to widen the range of approaches being implemented to improve health.

'Complex problems'

"There will be no simple solutions to the problems faced by Glasgow. Certainly, there will be no single initiative that will turn round such a complex set of problems with such deep roots in history."

Sir John Arbuthnott, chairman of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said the "intractable problem" of health inequalities remained despite "remarkable" changes in recent decades.

He said: "Our collective priority now must be to recognise and address the complexity of the challenge of improving the population's health, and I am committed to working with the city leaders in rising to that challenge."

The GCPH is a partnership between NHS Greater Glasgow, Glasgow City Council and the University of Glasgow, supported by the Scottish Executive.