UK women are more likely to rate themselves fit and healthy than other European countries

  • More than 75 per cent of British women rate themselves as fit and healthy
  • However, they tend to suffer worse health than European counterparts
  • UK women are more likely to die from cancer, drink too much and be obese

By
Steve Doughty, Social Affairs Correspondent


PUBLISHED:

18:33 EST, 9 December 2013

|

UPDATED:

18:57 EST, 9 December 2013

When it comes to the delicate subject of personal health, it seems British women are burying their heads in the sand.

For they are more likely to rate themselves as fit and healthy than women in almost all other European countries – despite the fact they tend to suffer worse health.

Indeed British women have a shorter life expectancy than many of their European counterparts, are more likely to die from cancer, drink too much and be obese.

In denial? More than 75 per cent of British women rate themselves as fit and healthy, statistics have revealed

According to figures from the EU’s statistics arm Eurostat, 76.5 per cent of women in the UK rated their health as good or very good.

It put UK women in third place behind Ireland, where 83.1 per cent of women rated their health highly and Sweden on 78 per cent.

In Germany only 63.3 per cent of women thought their health was good, and in France 64.4 per cent.

Both countries registered scores below the EU average of 65.3 per cent and – surprisingly – below that of some of the poorest EU countries. In Romania, 64.7 per cent of women rated their health as good or very good, and in Malta 68.8 per cent.

British men, however, were less optimistic than women.

In Sweden, the Netherlands, Cyprus, Greece and Ireland, men reckoned themselves healthier than British men did.

The results were drawn up from surveys carried out in the 28 EU member countries, plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland.

Swiss women considered themselves healthier than their British counterparts, while men in both Iceland and Switzerland gave themselves higher marks than British men.

The figures come after several studies have raised concerns about the health of women living in the UK. 

A recent study by the World Health Organisation and researchers from University College London found life expectancy among British women is two years shorter than in France, Spain and Italy, and a year shorter than in Cyprus, Malta and Andorra.

It also suggested that 23 per cent of British women are overweight – double the European average.
Breast cancer survival rates in the UK are among the lowest in the industrialised world, while cervical cancer survival rates are better in Slovenia and the Czech Republic than in Britain.

Unhealthy: A recent study has suggested that 23 per cent of British women are overweight, while binge drinking among females has more than doubled in the past decade

Binge drinking among women more than doubled during the last decade, and just last month a survey by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development found heavier drinking among 15-year-old British girls here than in any developed country except Denmark.

Eurostat said their table ‘gives an overall assessment by the respondent of his or her health in general.

It added that the survey is carried out only among households, and not in care homes or hospitals, which ‘is likely to contribute to an under-estimation of health problems’.

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Comments (39)

what you think

The comments below have been moderated in advance.

Girl,

Canterbury,

1 hour ago

Overweight people can be fit as well, in the same way that thin people can be very unfit. Not a great survey. Also a lot of obese people have yet to have health issues, as they tend to start later in life.

Beachbum,

Perth,

2 hours ago

Yeah, I spent my early twenties doing this. Binge drinking, not eating right and sitting on the couch deluding myself. It took moving away and feeling like a slob amongst healthy and active people that made me change my outlook and my lifestyle. I don’t know why it’s so accepted in Britain, whenever I’m back in my hometown I’m always struck by everything covered in this comments section.

Limpand Totheleft,

Winchester,

2 hours ago

Hmmmmmmmmm Far too many describe their body shape as ‘average’. They’re only ‘average’ in the land of the fat people.

Timbobsquarepants,

Derby, United Kingdom,

2 hours ago

The size 16 mannequins at debenhams don’t help the situation. It’s NOT normal to have a belly!

Kane,

Perth, Australia,

2 hours ago

Being Irish and seeing who’s top of the list, I had to chuckle! lol

hunglikeshire,

Beckton London,

2 hours ago

Lol! Now the penny has finally dropped.

swissgirl,

Geneva,

2 hours ago

Overweight people are not as common in Switzerland. An overweight child is even more rare ! Reason is activity. Children are out playing, adults are out walking, running, cycling etc no matter what the weather. Also there doesn’t seem to be such a ‘drinking’ culture here. Wine is enjoyed as part of an eating experience not an opportunity to get hammered!

UK needs to change its ways !

Bill,

Cirencester,

3 hours ago

Fat/obese people can look forward to chronic ill health often followed by an early death (you don’t many fat 80 year olds). As they say: You are what you eat…… and drink.

Mzungu,

Sodden-on-the-Water, United Kingdom,

3 hours ago

Moral of the story, boys: unless you’re a premier league footballer, celeb or otherwise loaded, if you want to date/marry a fit, healthy, slender and – in all probability – more feminine, attractive and charming woman, get on a plane!

jamie79,

sydney,

3 hours ago

women in denial about something?? never!!

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