A tale of two suburbs: Lenzie

IN LENZIE, East Dunbartonshire, with its neat Victorian villas and high-earning population, both male and female life expectancy are the highest of all 40 Community Heath Partnership (CHP) areas.

Mortality rates from all causes, early deaths from coronary heart disease and cancer are all significantly lower than the Scottish average and the lowest of all Scottish CHPs.

An estimated 17 per cent of adults smoke, compared with 25 per cent in Scotland as a whole.

The death rate from alcohol-related conditions is significantly lower than the Scottish average, as is the proportion of the population hospitalised for drink-related conditions. The same goes for drug abuse, with both deaths and related illnesses significantly lower than the Scottish average. In general, the ill-health and injury statistics show the population to have significantly better health, both physical and mental, than the Scottish average.

In additions, living conditions are much better while the rate of children in the local authority care is lower and extreme fuel poverty much less common.

The crime rate is also markedly lower, at 27.1 per 1,000 population, against the Scottish average of 49.5 per 1,000.