Preston Tops List Of Britain's Unhealthiest High Streets, But What Was Named The Healthiest?

The Unhealthiest High Streets In The UK Revealed
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An overweight couple walking in Times Square after dark.

How healthy you are could be influenced by where you live, according to a new study.

Preston, Middlesbrough and Coventry have been named as having the most harmful high streets in the UK when it comes to the nation's health.

The Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) has published a league table ranking 70 major towns and cities after scoring them on the extent to which they encourage healthy choices, promote social interaction, provide access to health advice and promote positive mental wellbeing.

High streets were judged on how many "unhealthy" outlets such as fast food restaurants or takeaways, tanning shops, bookmakers and payday lenders they had.

In contrast, Shrewsbury, Ayr and Salisbury were deemed as boasting the three "healthiest" high streets due to their higher concentrations of pharmacies, health centres, museums, art galleries, leisure centres and libraries.

Pubs and bars were also included on the healthy lists as the RSPH said its research had found the majority of the public believed they support social interaction while many said they have a positive effect on mental wellbeing.

Its report found that Preston had the unhealthiest high street overall, with Blackpool, Northampton, Wolverhampton, Grimsby, Huddersfield, Stoke-on-Trent and Eastbourne also in the top 10.

The other places that made the healthiest top 10 were Perth, Hereford, Carlisle, Cambridge, Cheltenham, York and Bristol.

The report also evaluated the main streets within the different areas of London, and found that Whitechapel, New Addington and Camberwell were the most unhealthy, with Whetstone, St John's Wood and Stanmore at the other end of the scale.

The RSPH said it is calling on the next government to introduce a range of measures to make high streets promote healthier living, such as local authorities being given greater planning powers to prevent betting shops, payday lenders and fast food outlets and introducing a limit of 5% of each type of business on a high street.

It also said it wants to see mandatory food hygiene ratings linked to calorie and nutrition labelling for fast food outlets, along with legislation to enable local councils to set their own business rates to discourage places that are detrimental to health.

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10 Unhealthy Ingredients
Bleached White Flour (01 of10)
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Found in most white breads, bleached white flour is usually stripped of nutrients and fibre and adds little value to our diets, Felip says. (credit:Shutterstock)
Artificial Colours (02 of10)
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There's a reason why most sugary treats give us a rush. Hidden artificial colours in foods can cause hyperactivity and headaches, says holistic nutritionist Danielle Felip. (credit:Shutterstock)
High-Fructose Corn Syrup(03 of10)
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This ingredient is found in most processed foods, including lunch meats, and has no nutritional value, Felip says. It has also been linked to increase risks of type 2 diabetes, and overconsumption can be damaging to our livers. (credit:Shutterstock)
Artificial Sweeteners (04 of10)
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Artificial sweeteners give food that sugary taste that is also quite addictive. But Felip says that artificial sweeteners are usually chemically derived and have been linked to migraines and even cancer. (credit:Shutterstock)
BHT (Butylated Hydroxytoluene)(05 of10)
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BHT or butylated hydroxytoluene is often added to most processed foods to preserve fats. Felip says overconsumption of this chemical can cause allergic reactions on the skin. (credit:Shutterstock)
Partially Hydrogenated Oil (06 of10)
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Partially hydrogenated oils (which are often found in cake mixes, peanut butter and baked goods) can decrease good cholesterol levels, are linked to heart disease and are hard for the body to dissolve, Felip says. (credit:Shutterstock)
MSG(07 of10)
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MSG (monosodium glutamate) is a food additive that is found in many foods, especially in fast food restaurants. Felip says MSGs often overexcite our nerve cells in the brain and can even (eaten in large amounts) cause brain cell death. On top of that, MSGs also can lead to exhaustion after a big meal. (credit:Shutterstock)
Sodium Nitrate And Sodium Nitrite(08 of10)
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Sodium nitrates and nitrites are chemical compounds commonly found in meat products like bacon and hot dogs, according to about.com. Nitrates and nitrites can affect the way your body uses sugar and may increase the risk of diabetes and colorectal cancer, Felip says. (credit:Shutterstock)
Sodium Benzoate (09 of10)
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Sodium benzoate is a chemical preservative that is used to prevent the growth of bacteria in foods like jams, fruit pies and soft drinks. "It can also deprives our cells of oxygen and weakens the immune system," Felip says. (credit:Shutterstock)
Sulphites(10 of10)
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Sulphites are food additives used to preserve food colour and prolong shelf life in many food products including canned fruits, frozen fries and soy products. Felip says sulphites can cause allergic reactions and flushed faces and swelling of the eyes, face, tongue among others. (credit:Shutterstock)

RSPH chief executive Shirley Cramer said: "While our ranking of towns and cities is by no means a reflection on whether these areas are generally healthy or unhealthy, our research does find higher concentrations of unhealthy businesses exist in places which already experience high levels of deprivation and premature mortality.

"We recognise that businesses investing in high streets are important for local economies; but this shouldn't be at any price. The Five Year Forward View calls for us to move 'further and faster' to improve the public's health.

"This could be achieved by granting local authorities enhanced powers to create a rich mix of health promoting businesses on our high streets and encouraging businesses to promote healthy choices."

Izzi Seccombe, chair of the Local Government Association's (LGA) community wellbeing board, added: "Councils want high streets to thrive and are on the side of local people when it comes to tackling the high concentrations of takeaways, betting shops and payday lenders.

"Councils have been calling for many of the same recommendations contained in the report, including a public health objective in licensing and a power for them to consider the cumulative impact of betting shops in close proximity.

"Local authorities are hamstrung by the current planning and licensing systems, under which councils have extremely limited powers to refuse openings, even in places that are already saturated with certain types of businesses.

"Following LGA lobbying, government has just announced new controls requiring businesses to seek planning permission for new betting shops and payday loan shops. This is a step in the right direction, but councils need much greater local discretion to shape their high streets and help stimulate local economic growth.

"In addition to powers to tackle nuisance premises, councils are calling for further initiatives to give local high streets a shot in the arm. These include a greater emphasis on entertainment and leisure facilities, such as sports clubs, the means to take over empty shops, more powers over local transport and less unnecessary red tape."