HEALTH in Haringey is among the worst in London, statistics published last week reveal.

Out of the 32 separate indicators, the borough was considered worse than the London average in 15 of them.

Worst areas included drug misuse, new cases in Tuberculosis, diabetes and male life expectancy which sits at 76.

But 35 in every 1000 residents are claiming incapacity benefit because of mental illness, according to the Department of Health report. That equals 1 in 29.

The London average is 27 per 1000 residents, and the national average is 27.7 per cent.

Positive features in the borough's were in the numbers of mothers who chose to breastfeed, — 91.7 per cent — and 91.2 per cent of young people aged between 5 and 16 were indulging in at least two hours of high quality exercise per week.

And only 1.2 per cent of Haringey's children suffer tooth decay by the age of 5.

And, overall, the borough's health has improved steadily over the past ten years.

Early death rates from heart disease and stroke is at an all-time low despite more than half of all residents living in areas classified at being amongst the fifth most deprived areas nationally including Northumberland Park and White Hart Lane.