Britain | Ethnicity and health

What is killing white Britons?

New data reveal a surprising trend in deaths

A roulette wheel showing different causes of premature death, juxtaposed against the things which contribute to a longer life.
Image: Nate Kitch

TROUBLING RACIAL disparities are well known to those who look at health outcomes. A black woman in Britain, for example, is four times likelier to die in pregnancy or labour than a white woman. A man of Bangladeshi ethnicity spends, on average, a decade less in good health than a white man. When the covid-19 virus struck, it killed ethnic minorities at twice the rate of white people. It is surprising, however, that—despite the effects of covid—white Britons die at higher rates overall than any ethnic group.

This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “What is killing white Britons?”

From the September 9th 2023 edition

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