Map blamed for millions of premature deaths
A storm of protest has greeted the publication of a map of England purporting to show that some people live longer than others.
The Longer Lives map, created by Public Health England, was variously condemned as seditious, socially divisive and fairly dull. The Daily Mail called it “an attack on our way of life”, the Guardian said it was “demeaning to people living in red areas of the country” and the BBC called it “a useful filler until we get more pictures of G8 protesters clashing with police”.
There were scenes of chaos as members of the public fled red areas fearing an immediate threat to their lives. The exodus caused an outcry from residents of green areas, many of which report an influx of obese chain-smokers seeking the safety of the country’s low-mortality zones.
Statisticians warned that if unhealthy people moved into healthy areas average life expectancy could fall dramatically.
“It’s outrageous,” said St Albans resident Susan Waitrose. “I moved here ten years ago because I wanted my children to have the chance of a longer life. If northerners continue to move in, we will all die a lot younger.”
A government spokesperson, said: “Charts of this kind are responsible for millions of needless deaths. A person's life expectancy should not depend on their background colour.”
Public Health England says it plans further resources, including:
- Pie charts to highlight problems of obesity
- Bar charts to identify patterns of alcohol misuse
- Heat maps to target heavy smokers
- Bubble charts to warn the young about the dangers of fizzy drinks.
Responding to the furore surrounding Longer Lives, a spokesperson for Public Health England said: “We had no idea it would cause so much controversy. The comms team can’t believe their luck.”
Infographics editor: Julian Patterson
