MORE than 18,000 people in north Durham will be asked next year to take part in the biggest survey of health ever commissioned.

Men in Derwentside have a life expectancy of 2.2 years less than the average for England and Wales, while women in the district on average die 1.7 years earlier.

The big killers are still heart disease, stroke and cancer, which are related to lifestyle issues, such as smoking, diet and lack of exercise.

Dr Anne Low, director of public health for Derwentside, said: "We know that lifestyles have a major impacy of health. We need to understand the lifestyle choices of people within Derwentside so that we can help people to improve their chances of living a long and healthy life."

Derwentside Primary Care Trust is launching a survey of more than 18,000 residents, to be carried out in January and February. It will ask questions about people's eating habits, smoking and drinking, and how much exercise they take.

Across County Durham and Tees Valley, about 2,500 people die each year from causes attributed to smoking, which is 34 per cent of all deaths of adults over 35.

Organisations that will help to conduct the survey include the Local Strategic Partnership, Derwentside District Council and Stanley Green Corridor

Dr Low said: "This survey is very important for the health of local people.

"The information we collect will help us to shape programmes for improving health, ensuring that help is targeted where it is most needed.

"The more people who take part in the survey, the better our information will be."

The results will be published next July.