Dr Hall: 'More effort needed for better health'

Ruth Hall's Health Status Wales report, a snapshot of the nation's health, shows Wales is still one of the sickest countries in Europe.

Sexually transmitted infections have risen and lung disease is common.

However life expectancy has risen, teenage pregnancies have fallen and infant deaths are at an all-time low.

Dr Hall said more effort to deliver better health was needed when she delivered the first in a series of reports looking at Wales' health.

But she stressed the responsibility for change lay with everybody, not just the medical professionals.

Conceptions are going down in women under the age of 18 and at the same time sexual infection is going up Dr Ruth Hall

Exercise is a crucial part of the problem - only 30% of adults take enough exercise and the figure drops to 18% among 15-year-old girls.

Boys are twice as active as girls, the report found.

"The trends show that both boys and girls in teenage years are much less active than the used to be," she said.

"But this is particularly marked for girls and I think this is very worrying and needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency."

She speculated that it may be "more cool for boys to undertake exercise".

"There is a lot of peer pressure at that age. I think we should ask youngsters themselves."

Teenagers feature in the good and bad news on sexual health, she reported.

"Conceptions are going down in women under the age of 18 and at the same time infection is going up, particularly in young men and women.

"The relatively hidden disease of chlamydia is one which is going up particularly fast."

70% of adults do not exercise enough in Wales

Dr Hall wants priority action on respiratory illnesses, still a major killer, and said 18% of the population has reported a long-term illness.

"Respiratory disease can cause a lot of illness without necessarily causing death and this is shown for instance by the fact that in one in 10 of the population of Wales has some form of asthma.

"Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease which is strongly associated with smoking, also affects a lot of people."

On the positive side, men's life expectancy has risen to 75.5 years, while women can expect to survive to just beyond their 80th birthday.

Infant death rates have fallen to their lowest ever rates.

The assembly has launched Health Challenge Wales, which will encourage people by giving information on, and opportunities of, being active.

AMs from all parties took part in a healthy living day in Cardiff Bay, with 14 health organisations attending to offer tips on diet, lifestyle and fitness.

They also set up an all-party healthy living group, which will encourage the politicians leading Wales to set an example and raise awareness of the causes of ill-health.