A snapshot of health problems in the West Midlands today reveals that heart disease and smoking-related illnesses are higher than the national average.

NHS West Midlands says it is particularly concerned about the health of people in Sandwell, where smoking and poor diet are the cause of long-term illness.

The statistics have been released as part of the fourth annual set of local health profiles, helping the NHS decide where to target resources in their area.

Health chiefs say in England there are key advances in health with reductions in early deaths from heart disease and cancer and reductions in smoking related deaths.

But in the West Midlands the borough of Sandwell has the highest rate of early deaths from heart disease and stroke in the region at 120 per 100,000. Sandwell also had the worst death rate from smoking at 276.6 per 100,000.

On a more positive note, Wyre Forest district has reported the joint highest proportion of 5-16 -year-old children in state schools spending at least two hours doing exercise per week.

And children in Lichfield and South Staffordshire have some of the healthiest teeth in the country.

Jo Luxmore, of Sandwell Primary Care Trust said: “We have been working hard to improve smoking quitter figures over the last few years. We have seen a significant improvement on last year’s figures. An event will take place in September for a variety of partners, including health care providers to raise awareness.”

* Find out the health of your area. Log on to www.healthprofiles.info

Findings for our area

* Wolverhampton: Health worse than England average. But fewer people injured or killed on roads and children have less tooth decay than average

* Sandwell: Health worse than average. Tooth decay and road injuries better than average.

* Dudley: Health a little worse than average. Priorities are reducing alcohol related harm and obesity in children and adults

* Walsall: Health generally worse than average. But levels of children’s tooth decay and road injuries better than average

* South Staffs: Health better than average. Concerns include obesity and heart disease

* Cannock Chase: Health worse than average. Main priority is to reduce deaths from heart disease

* Lichfield: Health better than average. But children less physically active than average and rates of breast feeding lower

* Stafford: Health better than average. Concerns about physical activity in children and breast feeding

* Wyre Forest: Health better than average. But estimated rate of obesity in adults is higher.