Watch: Wolverhampton residents debate on whether city is 'hotspot' for an unhealthy lifestyle
Locals react to new study that puts Wolverhampton in fourth place as a hotspot for unhealthy living.
Locals react to new study that puts Wolverhampton in fourth place as a hotspot for unhealthy living.
The research carried out by ZAVA has ranked the areas of the UK where it is difficult for locals to lead a healthy lifestyle.
It was based on data that looked at factors such as access to gyms, proximity to fast food outlets, smoking rates, and alcohol overconsumption.
As part of this study Wolverhampton came fourth with a score of 8.80 out of 10.
With this in mind, we were curious to find out what locals in the area thought of this ‘unhealthy’ label.
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Is Wolverhampton really a hotspot for an unhealthy lifestyle?
Sophie Alice Middleton, 32, from Wolverhampton thinks that leading a healthy lifestyle “depends on the person” as people “have the choice” on whether to select a healthy option versus an unhealthy option.
She said: “It depends on the person themselves.
“People have the choice to eat healthily or eat wrongly.
“It doesn't help with fast food, I will give you that and people might find it convenient so that's why Wolverhampton has been rated as the worst.”
Charles, 16, from Wednesfield pointed out litter and people’s smoking habits could be a reason for the ‘unhealthy’ label.
He said, “I think it’s bad, and I think we can do better, but we choose not to.
Charles pointed out the number of used cigarettes on the ground, sharing “when they finish smoking, they just chuck it on the floor.”
The Top 5 Hotspots in the UK with the Worst Lifestyles, according to ZAVA:
1. Hartlepool
Ranked first for the unhealthiest habits, with a score of 9.17/10, recording 8 fast-food outlets near gyms, a 57.8% active rate, 35.8% adult obesity prevalence, 14.7% smokers, and an alcohol overconsumption rate of 19.9%.
2. Blackpool
Ranked second with an unhealthiest habits score of 9.13/10, alongside 5 fast-food outlets near gyms, a 55.3% active rate, 32.2% obesity prevalence, 19.7% smokers, and an alcohol overconsumption rate of 39.4%.
3. North East Lincolnshire
Ranked third with a score of 9.10/10, with 7 fast-food outlets near gyms, a 54.2% active rate, 29.9% obesity prevalence, 17.1% smokers, and an alcohol overconsumption rate of 17.6%.
4. Wolverhampton
Ranked fourth with an unhealthiest habits score of 8.80/10, recording 7 fast-food outlets near gyms, a 51.6% active rate, 30.1% obesity prevalence, 12.8% smokers, and an alcohol overconsumption rate of 18.4%.
5. Manchester
Ranked fifth with a score of 8.79/10, despite having the highest number of fast-food outlets near gyms (15). It recorded a 62.6% active rate, 27% adult obesity prevalence, 15.6% smokers, and an alcohol overconsumption rate of 20.5%.
The research was carried out by ZAVA, click here to find out more about the work they perform.
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