Life expectancy in England is rising more slowly than in the rest of Europe, according to a Lancet study. Obesity, bad diet and a lack of physical activity are behind a decade of life expectancy stagnation, the researchers said, with stalling progress to tackle deaths from heart disease and cancer.

Bulging waistlines are partly to blame for England experiencing the biggest slowdown in life expectancy across Europe since 2011, experts say. A study found life expectancy for older people was still rising in many countries, suggesting we “have not yet reached a natural longevity ceiling”.

The slowdown in life expectancy improvements... highlights the urgent need for stronger action on the root causes'