Commuters wait to board a train at Earls Court Tube station in London on January 15, 2026. (Photo: AFP)

Britain's population health is deteriorating and falling behind comparable countries, a health expert has warned, as the latest research shows a decline in the number of years people can expect to live in good health in the country.

"The UK's health is deteriorating and slipping further behind comparable nations, with serious consequences for our economy as well as for people's lives," Andrew Mooney, principal data analyst at the think tank Health Foundation, told Xinhua on Tuesday.

His comments came as a report released by the foundation on Sunday found that healthy life expectancy in Britain fell by around two years over the past decade, to 60.7 years for men and 60.9 years for women.

The decline has been widespread. In more than 90 percent of local areas, healthy life expectancy is now below the state pension age of 66, while in over one in 10 areas, it has dropped below 55 years, the report said.

Britain's standing internationally has also weakened. Among 21 high-income countries, it now ranks 20th in healthy life expectancy, down from 14th a decade ago, according to the report.

The report notes that while overall life expectancy has remained broadly stable, people are spending a longer period of their lives in poor health, underscoring a growing burden on society, the labor market and public services.

Mooney said the report should serve as a wake-up call for policymakers and improving population health must be elevated to a core policy priority, alongside economic growth, with stronger coordination across government and a greater focus on prevention.

In addition, he called for stronger cross-government coordination, a greater focus on prevention, and renewed efforts to address economic and health inequalities.