People residing in West Berkshire are amongst the hale and heartiest in the nation, in spite of a higher possibility of skin cancer and high rates of obesity.

According to the local health profile reports, printed by the Association of Public Health Observatories on Tuesday, life expectancy for those living within the area, comprising Berkshire, Bucking-hamshire, Oxfordshire, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, for both men (79.3 years) and women (83.1 years) is greater than the national average.

Another encouraging health sign for the region garnered from the reports is that the numeral of untimely deaths from cancer, heart problems and stroke are lesser than the average, for England.

More depressing, although, is that the rate of new instances of spiteful melanoma skin cancer is considerably shoddier than the average for England, with 17.7 fresh incidents for every 100,000 people, compared with a rate of 12.6 all over the country.

Malicious melanoma of the skin is the third most widespread cancer in the age group of 15 to 39.

Professor John Newton, the Director of Public Health for the NHS south central area, said that skin cancer was one of the most avoidable kinds of cancer, with the maximum cases caused due to over exposure from the sun, or sun beds.

He said, “However, seeing people with sunburn from the recent sunny weather, I am concerned that the message is not getting through”.