The time during their lives that both men and women in West Dunbartonshire can expect to spend in good health has fallen by three years.
Between 2018 and 2020, the average healthy life expectancy for men in the region was 58.1 years, while women live an average of 58.5 years in good health, according to the National Records of Scotland (NRS).
This has dropped by two years for women and one year for men, and are both below the Scottish average.
Healthy life expectancy is an estimate of the number of years lived in “very good” or “good” general health, based on how people perceive their state of health at the time of completing the annual population survey.
According to the research, the most deprived communities spend on average 24 fewer years in good health than those living in the least deprived areas.
The gap between the region’s neighbours in more affluent East Dunbartonshire is stark, with women expecting to enjoy 66.4 years in good health, while for men it is 66.7 years.
The region’s counterpart is among the healthiest in the country, while West Dunbartonshire is among the lowest. The figures are well below the averages for Scotland which sit at 60.9 years for men and 61.8.
The years Scots can expect to live a healthy life has declined for the last four years for females and the last three for males.
West Dunbartonshire MP Martin Docherty-Hughes said: “These figures do not make easy reading. The worsening healthy life expectancy for those living in the most deprived areas is a stark illustration of how a decade of Tory austerity has impacted our communities.
“We know that poverty and poor health are inextricably linked.
“I worry about the impact the impending cost-of-living crisis will have on my constituents here in West Dunbartonshire.”
Beth Culshaw, chief officer of West Dunbartonshire HSCP, said improving health and reducing inequalities are key priorities for community planning partners who lead and co-ordinate this work.
She commented: “The wide range of services accessible across West Dunbartonshire provide localised strategic support to address issues including substance use, smoking, obesity and inactivity.
“Regular initiatives promoting physical activity and encouraging residents to use our numerous excellent leisure facilities and greenspaces underpins our commitment to improving the general health of our community.
“These efforts - working in tandem with the council’s complementary strategies to improve housing, education, social inclusion and tackling poverty - are all dedicated to addressing inequality and improving lives with the people of West Dunbartonshire.”
