Instead of the usual advice to exercise more, eat more fruit and vegetables, stop smoking, start meditating, this World Health Day, I thought I’d look at global health – how health trends relate to equality.
Poorer people have more health problems and die younger. Less money equals less access to health care – or does it? In the UK, the NHS provides universal healthcare, and the same differences exist – in fact, they are worse than in many other countries.
New research shows that while increasing income improves health and life expectancy up to a point, once an adequate income is reached, equality of income is the best predictor of how healthy people will be.
These health and social problems affect everyone in unequal societies, rich and poor alike – so increasing equality will benefit everyone’s health, and everyone’s happiness. A healthier world means a healthier you.
For more information, check out ‘The Spirit Level’ by Kate Pickett and Richard Wilkinson and visit; http://www.equalitytrust.org.uk/resources/slides
Tags: health inequality, kate pickett, new research, The equality trust, the spirit level, World health day