SCOTS living in the country’s most deprived areas are four times more likely to die early than those in the wealthiest.

Official statistics show 20,980 people in Scotland died before the age of 75 last year – lower than at any time in the past 20 years.

But while premature mortality rates declined by 43 per cent between 1997 and 2017 in the least deprived areas, this figure fell by only 21% in the most deprived.

Public health minister Joe FitzPatrick admitted there remain “entrenched and stubborn” issues which must be addressed.

He said: “Tackling the inequalities in health that the most deprived and vulnerable in our society experience is one of the most important challenges we face as a country.

“We have made significant progress in a number of areas such as healthy birthweight, alcohol-related hospital admissions and deaths from heart disease.

“But, as today’s report shows, there remain entrenched and stubborn issues that we must address. That is why we are taking decisive action on matters such as alcohol, smoking, physical activity and healthy eating.”

He said health inequalities are “very much a symptom” of wider income inequality, and insisted Scottish minister are working to mitigate the “devastating” impacts of UK welfare reform.

The latest report from Scotland's chief statistician found while relative inequalities for heart attack admissions decreased in the last year, the alcohol-related hospital admissions gap remained highest.

Figures show the inequality gap for deaths involving alcohol has risen in each of the past five years and is now 10% higher than it was in 1997. However, this is still 30% lower than its 2002 peak.

The cancer mortality rate among those aged between 45 and 74 has fallen by more than 31% since 1996 and the number of deaths each year has also reduced in this period, from approximately 8,400 to 7,300.

Yet, of people in that age group, those in Scotland's most deprived areas are more than twice as likely to die of cancer than those in the least deprived.

In 1997, premature mortality rates – defined as those dying before the age of 75 – were three times higher in the most deprived areas compared to the least deprived, while in the last three years premature mortality rates have been four times higher in the most deprived areas.

It came as statistics showed children from the poorest backgrounds are twice as likely to be “at risk of obesity”.

Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesman Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “It's really worrying to learn that children’s backgrounds continue to have such a serious influence over their health.”