Coastal Residents in England and Wales Face Higher Risk of Chronic Illnesses

Researchers at University College London analysed data from the 1958 National Child Development Study and the 1970 British Cohort Study and found that people living in coastal areas of England and Wales in midlife are at least 20% more likely to have two or more long‑term conditions than those who moved away earlier in life. The chronic conditions include cancer, diabetes, depression, asthma, back pain, high blood pressure, eye disease and heart problems.

The study links the higher disease burden to neighbourhood deprivation and selective migration: individuals from more deprived coastal neighbourhoods are three times more likely to remain on the coast, while those from less deprived backgrounds tend to move away. Professor Stephen Jivraj, the study’s corresponding author, said the findings “suggest coastal regions may need targeted policies and resources to address growing health inequalities.” The results were published in BMJ Public Health.