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Living in London can seriously damage men’s health, a new study reveals today.

It points to shocking disparity across the capital, with life expectancy in some areas up to 17 years shorter than in others.

The Bureau of Investigative Journalism study shows that the NHS is failing to improve the chances of men surviving heart disease and cancer — key factors to blame for early death.

Both conditions can be triggered by poor diet, smoking, drinking and lack of exercise. Suicide is another leading cause of death, especially among young men.

Experts blame health chiefs for failing to invest in initiatives targeted at men to help them improve their physical and mental wellbeing. Only a handful of health trusts in the capital commission services specifically for the male population, according to the Bureau’s findings.

Dan Taylor of the charity CALM, set up in response to the high male suicide rate, said: “Services that specifically address men, resonate with their lives and empower them to get help are urgently needed. This may require a rethink on how services are developed and branded in the first place.

“With cuts to services, and a changing political landscape making it harder to find and retain employment, we have a collective responsibility to support a generation of young men facing unparalleled unemployment and uncertainty.”

The BIJ study found that deprivation is a key factor in life chances for men.

A man in Lewisham Central, for example, lives for 70.8 years on average. In the Queen’s Gate ward, is in the affluent borough of Kensington and Chelsea, this figure is 88.3 years. The outlook for men is in stark contrast with women, who live up to 12 years longer in some London wards. In nearly two-thirds of wards the difference between the sexes’ life expectancies is more than the national average of 4.1 years.

And in one, Cathedrals in Southwark, the difference is worse than in Russia. Men there can expect to live on average 73.75 years, compared with 86.47 for women.

London health trusts are also spending about £2 million more on community services for women than on those targeted at men’s physical and mental wellbeing.

10 best

1 Queen’s Gate (Ken &Chelsea) 88.3

2 Hans Town (K&C) 88

3 Holland (K&C) 86.2

4 Surrey Docks (Southwark) 86

5 Lancaster Gate (Westminster) 86

6 Maida Vale (Westminster) 85.2

7 Knightsbridge and Belgravia (Westminster) 85.1

8 Courtfield (K&C) 84.4

9 Selsdon and Ballards (Croydon) 84.1

10 Bayswater (Westminster) 84

10 worst

1 Lewisham Central (Lewisham) 70.9

2 Nunhead (Southwark) 71

3 Chatham (Hackney) 71.1

4 Tottenham Green (Haringey) 71.3

5 Northumberland Park (Haringey) 71.5

6 Harlesden (Brent) 71.5

7 Little Ilford (Newham) 71.8

8 New Cross (Lewisham) 71.9

9 Selhurst (Croydon) 72.0

10 Broad Green (Croydon) 72.1

Source: GLA Intelligence Unit